The iconic Red Carpet is unique, stately, and untouchable. It is a true symbol, a sacred object historically associated with the gods. It fascinates, elevates those who honor it, and embodies dreams, glory, genius, and talent. Each year, it stands as a magnificent witness to the captivating history of the City of Cannes and the 7th Art. Ultimately, it is the main character.
Yet, it is ephemeral. Every year, it disappears-physically and definitively.
For 40 years, the original Carpet of the world’s greatest Festival has been discarded, destroyed, abandoned—managed as waste or recycled.
My Red Carpet Project …
Like Cinema, which is an Art, the Carpet should transcend eras and generations, living on forever. Neither the arrival of television, video clubs, VOD, nor streaming platforms has ever managed to ruin the celebration. Cinema is eternal, and so is the Red Carpet.
In 2021, I embarked on the journey of acquiring and crafting the authentic Cannes Red Carpet, elevating it to the status of a work of art. I want to rescue, safeguard, and preserve it so that it may never be forgotten. With the help of art researchers, philosophers, chemists, and ethics professors, I have gradually developed an artistic and philosophical vision aimed at transforming the ephemeral Red Carpet into lasting, eternal works of art.
I have named this movement Ephernel ©.
In my studio, I explore this felt material daily, uncovering its many facets and striving to understand its origins and history. I analyze its composition and its exclusive colors. I study it, cut it, shear it, melt it; I shred it, disintegrate it, and compress hundreds of meters of carpet.
My Red Carpet Project is the first chapter of the story I am telling—one that intertwines Art and History, creativity and authenticity. It is my first tribute to the City of Cannes, to Cinema, and an inner journey marking the birth of the Carpet as a work of Art, alongside the birth of an artist…
Didier ZAKINE - 2025