The Hottest Photo Exhibit at the Moment: Big Bang

The Natural Diamond Council unveils the Big Bang photo exhibition, created in collaboration with renowned photographer Sonia Sieff. Under the artist’s eye, the stone embodies the explosive force of the universe, the depth of the Earth, and humanity’s contemplative journey through time. Interweaving the journey of this natural miracle with themes of cosmic creation, timelessness and transformation, Big Bang invites visitors to discover the diamond not only as a precious stone, but also as an enduring symbol of the complex dance between nature, time and beauty. The exhibition will take place between November 22nd to the 24th, at La Cité, 71 rue de Réaumur 75002 Paris (free admission).

Big Bang

A first trio of photographs subtly and poetically draws a symbolic parallel between the origin of diamonds and the birth of the universe.

From a cluster of explosive crystals evoking a concentration of expanding energy, to a dark diamond translating the silence before creation, to vibrating shapes suggesting the first cosmic particles: each work highlights the diamond as a witness to cosmic evolution, linking it to the creation of the universe and the raw power from which it emerges.

Inspired by the birth of the universe, Sonia Sieff interprets the diamond as a metaphor for the Big Bang: an explosion of light, energy and creation, reminding us that everything around us, including this stone, was born from the stars.

Original Setting

Here, the diamond rests on kimberlite, the natural matrix of the queen of gems. The textural contrast between the rough rock and the crystalline purity of the stone reveals a journey of transformation, from raw earth to dazzling brilliance.

Far from being anodyne, Sonia Sieff’s choice is a sign of the diamond’s geological origin, born in the bowels of the Earth and shaped by over three billion years of extreme pressure and heat.

“Kimberlite is the original setting for diamonds, a rock that also has a history, that of the depths of the Earth. By highlighting it, I wanted to remind us that all beauty has a genesis, which is always fascinating,” explains the artist.

Sculpture of Time

In this series, Sonia Sieff juxtaposes diamonds with timeless games such as chess, tic-tac-toe and dominoes, inviting us to distinguish the permanent from the ephemeral.

Integrated into these familiar settings, natural stone enhances the beauty and stability that transcend punctual moments. The contrast between the eternal brilliance of diamonds and the ephemeral nature of the game’s movements offers a reflection on the passage of time, symbolizing moments crystallized in eternity.

This temporal dimension linked to the diamond creation process presents the idea of time as a silent, patient sculptor.For me, these images could symbolize the slow, methodical accumulation of moments that eventually shape something rare and precious, like a diamond.

The dots and shapes sketched could be described as ephemeral fragments of time, each contributing to the crystallization of an idea or a work. The diamond, on the other hand, is the final product, but also the witness to millions of years of pressure and transformation. Each stage of creation, each point on these ‘games’ represents a necessary phase in the evolution towards beauty or perfection,” comments Sonia Sieff

Raw Beauty

Diamonds, in their primary form, recall beauty in its purest state, unshaped by expectations or imposed standards. Like the human body, it is both robust and fragile, perfect in its imperfections. Every angle, every asperity tells a story of pressure, of time, of invisible forces. They embody a vulnerability that, like the one Sonia seeks to capture in her portraits, is both tender and powerful.

“There’s something magnificently raw about these unpolished, raw stones-a beauty that depends not on perfection, but on the very essence of their existence. They seem to contain a universe in miniature, frozen in a tension between light and shadow, between brilliance and obscurity.

Light dances across their surfaces, just as it caresses the skin, revealing secrets that only intimate attention can grasp.Still rooted in the earth from which they come, these diamonds are a reflection of our own condition: shaped by our experiences, by the pressure we carry on our shoulders, yet capable of shining, even in our rawest form,” explains Sonia Sieff.

Nature’s Gift

 The contrast between the organic texture of the fruit and the cut precision of the diamond creates a strong visual dynamic, marking the link between ephemeral nature and the timeless perfection of the diamond as a miracle of nature, a gift from nature.

Here, Sonia Sieff explores the relationship between the natural and the artificial, the living and the immortal. Pure, eternal, luminous, the diamond becomes a focal point that captures the essence of perfection. From genesis to enduring material, the artist engages in a dialogue between nature and luxury, between the impermanence of life and the timelessness of the diamond. The fact that each fruit is associated with a diamond could also symbolize the uniqueness and preciousness of nature, just as diamonds are rare and precious: a poetic way of linking the cycle of life with the idea of crystallized perfection.

The result of a collaboration between the Natural Diamond Council with the help of its partners – Rosy Blue, Rubel & Ménaché – and artist Sonia Sieff, the Big Bang exhibition transcends the classical boundaries of art and jewellery, offering visitors a total immersion in the world of diamonds. This unique visual journey rediscovers the precious gem from a new angle, placing it in the context of its cosmic origin, while celebrating its contemporary brilliance with a humorous twist on the return to childhood and gluttony. The artist’s typical use of light, texture and staging magnifies every detail, turning each shot into a sophisticated work of art that underscores the diamond’s importance as an object of desire, but also as a symbol of eternity and transformation.

To complete this immersive journey, videos will be projected on one of the unique natural environments from which the diamonds originate: the pristine Northwest Territories in Canada’s subarctic region. Visitors will hear from local communities about how the stones are mined with the utmost respect for the environment. They can also discover one of the most important roles played by diamonds: supporting the economic and social development of indigenous peoples. That’s where diamonds shine brightest.