Opened in 1968, Grenoble City Hall, which has been recognized for its “Remarkable Contemporary Architecture”, is the result of a collaborative effort involving architects, urban planners and visual artists (Maurice Novarina, Jacques Giovannoni, Jacques Christin and Marcel Welti) and their search for harmony, balance, aestheticism and functionalism.

The council chamber was destroyed by a fire in 2019. The restoration project maintains the focus on collaboration between the architect Peter Wendling and an artist chosen by tender, with each party sharing creative ideas and inspiring the other. The artist Laura Sellies was chosen. Originally from Grenoble, Laura attended the École de Beaux-Arts in Lyon and graduated with a Master’s degree in literary creation from the University of Paris 8. She describes her work as resolutely collaborative, installational and dramatic.

Working with Manifesto from the application phase, Laura Sellies designed a sculpture with a series of glass units within a large bay window. Playing with light effects, the glass units incorporate motifs developed during several workshops with children, “apprentices and future citizens” of Grenoble. Manifesto is working with the artist to find technical solutions and ensure the artwork’s integration within the building’s architecture.  

"ANOMER is an exploration into my deep connection with the city of Grenoble, of the stories that were told to me and, through these stories, of my relationship with childhood. My mother guided me through this journey, so I chose this title: ANOMER, meaning “to our mothers”. I wanted to share what had been passed on to me, because I deeply believe that the stories we invent for ourselves determine our relationship to the world. To invent is to build. With a small group of children, we embarked on an exploration, focusing on sound because it is all around us, yet we often overlook it. Collectively contemplating what is here but is not seen: I view this as a political project".
- Laura Selliès