"Retina" by Hideyuki Ishibashi at the Hortillonages Festival in Amiens

As part of the International Garden Festival—Hortillonnages Amiens 2025—Hideyuki Ishibashi is transforming a floating island with a permanent installation that combines photography, plants, and the memory of the place.

By examining the Makyo, a Japanese “magic mirror” from the 1st century B. C., we discover a fascinating optical phenomenon: microscopic irregularities on the mirror’s surface create hidden images.

This mysterious object inspired him to create “Rétine,” an installation through which he explores the relationship between what can be seen and what escapes our perception. Etched almost imperceptibly onto copper plates, images of plants and vegetables once grown in the Hortillonnages appear fleetingly thanks to the reflection of sunlight on the surface of tiltable discs, which visitors are invited to manipulate. By exploring basic optical phenomena—reflection and projection—“  Rétine ” raises new questions about the very act of seeing.

↘︎ An exhibition on view from May 22 to September 21, 2025; accessible by boat or on foot.

↘︎ In partnership with Verbrugge Performance Coatings.