(Paris) Wearing scarves in the name of their idol or heavy leather jackets, early fans kicked off the Johnny Hallyday exhibition, which opened on 3,000 m2 on Friday in Paris.
A large number of them discovered the 3,000 m2 space dedicated to the French favorite rocker a year ago in Brussels during its inauguration, and the exhibition is now in Paris, Porte de Versailles.
“Johnny represents fifty years of my life during which I attended 350 of his concerts,” confides Danielle Ruiz, 71, president of an association of fans of the singer who died on December 5, 2017.
Mireille Sirgnac made the trip from Marseille.
“I bought my ticket five months ago, as soon as I learned that the event would be held in Paris. I plan to return in January and April. I’m so excited that I haven’t slept all night,” says the fifty-year-old.
Produced by Laeticia Hallyday, widow of the star, and Tempora, a Belgian agency specializing in the design of exhibitions, the event offers visitors the opportunity to let themselves be guided by the voice of actor Jean Reno, friend of the singer, through the mazes of guitar-shaped site until June 19.
Several reconstructions of symbolic places in Johnny’s life welcome his admirers, from the room he occupied as a teenager to his office in the villa in Marnes-la-Coquette, near Paris.
Founder of a motorcycle club who had “the honor of riding with the star”, Henri Vancraeyenest came to honor the memory of his “friend”.
“Johnny was our life. This exhibition continues to keep his legend alive. “A myth like his never really dies anyway,” he says, accompanied by other members of his club with carefully waxed mustaches.
In the middle of the exhibition hall sits a room where giant screens broadcast an immersive 360° concert. Sitting on “flight cases” converted into seats for the occasion, a few fans scream in front of the singer’s face in giant version, and recite each lyric religiously, some shedding a tear.
The tribute continued at 13 rue de la Tour des Dames in the 9th arrondissement on Friday afternoon, where Laeticia Hallyday, her daughters Jade and Joy as well as the deputy mayor of Paris Laurence Patrice inaugurated a plaque at name of Johnny Hallyday.
“Here grew up Jean-Philippe Smet known as Johnny Hallyday, icon of French rock (1943-2017)”, we can read.