Miracle, Sylvie Fleury

A gigantic neon purple 'Miracle' has appeared on one of the banks of the Seine, lighting up the Paris sky and lifting the spirits of football fans from around the world as they flock to the House of Switzerland at the Wanderlust. Created by famous Swiss artist Sylvie Fleury, the sign measuring ten metres across and 1.5 metres high will shine out for the whole of the month-long tournament.

'Miracle' alludes to the enthusiasm of football fans, to the spiritual fervour and hope that gets us all going during the Euro. And it does so in a slightly tongue-in-cheek, subversive but light-hearted way – and in a deliberately 'girly' colour.

'Girly': it's a word that feels euphoric, defiant and refreshing in a world that can seem all doom and gloom. In fact subtle surprise is one of the artist’s favourite devices. Exploiting all manner of media – video, painting, sculpture, performance art and installations – to interact with public perceptions, she takes on reality with a sideways glance, a sharp wit and a subversive nudge, overturning conventions and demolishing conceived ideas. Her internationally renowned work blurs lines and crosses boundaries to send them crashing down.

Here is an artist who delights in bringing about a clash of worlds that seem like worlds apart: art, luxury, advertising, pop aesthetics and minimalism...the irony always just below the surface and freedom centre stage.

The completion of this work has been made possible by the P3ART association, private public platform for art in public space in Geneva, in collaboration with the City of Geneva.

It has been acquired jointly by contemporary art collections of the City and Canton of Geneva and will be installed on the Geneva territory at the end of the Euro.