Lyon, France – From June 4 to 6, 2026, the Nuits de Fourvière festival will present the premiere of “Ce que le ciel ne sait pas” (What the Sky Does Not Know) at Les SUBS in Lyon. This monumental and interdisciplinary work is a collective creation by Afghan-French architect and artist Feda Wardak, choreographer Saïdo Lehlouh, and Tunisian composer Deena Abdelwahed. The piece merges plastic installation, choreographic performance, and sound creation, centered around a forensic investigation into Afghanistan.
An Artistic Inquiry Between the Stars and the Subsoil
“Ce que le ciel ne sait pas” is part of the Nuits de Fourvière, the international festival of the Lyon Metropolis, and is co-produced with Les Ateliers Frappaz (CNAREP). Lyon, a hub for performing arts in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, is thus hosting an ambitious work that transcends traditional disciplinary boundaries to offer a visual, corporeal, and sonic experience. Les SUBS, a venue dedicated to experimental art forms, provides a particularly fitting setting for this extraordinary production.
At the heart of the installation is a monumental structure: a vast, three-story helical staircase rotating on its vertical axis. This structure formally evokes the Archimedean screw, a tool used since antiquity to bore into the ground and draw up water. In the context of the work, this object symbolizes two conflicting narratives: the extractivism practiced by multinational corporations in the Afghan subsoil, and the efforts of local artisans from the Jeghatu district who work to restore the karez, millennial underground galleries that distributed water in arid zones.
The installation is brought to life by a collective choreographic performance, accompanied by a sound and light creation. Performed by Mehdi Baki, Kaê Brown Carvalho, Marina De Remedios, Jerson Diasonama, and Sonia Ichti, the piece choreographed by Saïdo Lehlouh sets bodies in motion within and around the structure, while Deena Abdelwahed’s electronic music envelops the space with a powerful and unique soundscape.
A Collective Creation by Three Complementary Artists
“Ce que le ciel ne sait pas” unfolds across three spatial perspectives: the sky, the ground, and the subsoil. From the sky, Western military control is exerted; the scars on the ground bear witness to the violence of the imperialist apparatus; and from the subsoil, Afghan resistance manifests through the repair of ancient waterways. This tripartite structure informs the narrative, the scenic space, and the overall dramaturgy.
The creation is part of the “Water Seekers” repertoire, initiated by Feda Wardak, an Afghan-French architect and artist based in Paris. This protean repertoire, encompassing visual, performative, cinematographic, and sonic forms, aims to make visible Afghan counter-narratives, breaking away from dominant discourses that have legitimized foreign invasions and occupations. It particularly explores the consequences of bombings on ancient hydraulic systems and the disappearance of the know-how of the karezkan, the artisans who dig these underground galleries.
Alongside Feda Wardak, Saïdo Lehlouh, a prominent figure in French breakin’ and co-director of the CCN of Rennes and Brittany, is responsible for the choreography and contributes to the dramaturgy. Deena Abdelwahed, a Tunisian DJ, composer, and producer recognized on the international electronic music scene, signs a sound creation that grounds the work in a sensory and political dimension. Together, these three artists weave a rare interdisciplinary narrative at the crossroads of architecture, visual arts, dance, and music.
Practical Information for Attending in Lyon and Beyond
Performances of “Ce que le ciel ne sait pas” will take place from June 4 to 6, 2026, at Les SUBS in Lyon, as part of the Nuits de Fourvière. Following its premiere in Lyon, the work will be presented from June 16 to 18, 2026, at La Vieille Charité in Marseille, as part of the Festival de Marseille, and then from December 17 to 19, 2026, at La Grande Halle de la Villette in Paris, as part of the Festival d’Automne, in co-production with the Centre Pompidou. For access information to Les SUBS, it is advisable to consult the Nuits de Fourvière website.
Source: jds.fr
