Perrotin’s New Paris Gallery Showcase is a Message of Art Solidarity

START
body

Earlier this year, art gallery Perrotin launched Restons unis (“let us remain united,”) an initiative that expresses the spirit of its name by collaborating with 26 other distinct Parisian studios for group curated exhibitions. Just opened in Perrotin’s Saint-Claude space in Paris—as well as online in its virtual Viewing Salon—its newest show, You’ll Never Walk Alone, provides an opportunity for creative unity during the global pandemic.

In this installment of the collective, seven Parisian galleries feature works from artists with a range of styles and interpretations on the exhibit’s theme. Artist Xu Wenkai aka Aaajiao’s experimental work “icon004.gif” digitizes human emotions on an LED screen, pointing to the presence and importance of feeling, even in our tech-driven era. Théo Mercier’s sculptural objects present an image of globalization and “an archaeology of the future,” while Alexandre Farto aka Vhils uses recovered objects to affirm the place of humanity in “an archaeology of the present.”

“I essentially aim to confront and expose the realities generated by our urban environments, by questioning the elements which form them,” Vhils tells CR. “I try to work through the overlapping and contrasting of realities, where the process in itself is quite often what interests me the most. I am interested in exploring and exposing the ephemeral nature of things. That this can be observed in the streets says a lot about people’s lives in a given moment in time.”

The artists describe our current times through different perspectives and mediums. Creator Pierre Clement nods to sci-fi imagery in his work, “MAN/acryl-res/EnC:spec.lang,” while Laura Gozlan’s film, “G Minor” shows the influence of subcultures on our views. Sylvie Auvrey’s glazed stonework is positioned alongside Alain Séchas’ buoyant painting, “Sac violet et bouquet” and Claude Closky’s conceptual mixed media piece, “Bain de minuit (48 personnes).” This breadth of practices merge into the idea of what is essential. “Today, as yesterday, I think it’s important to present work with an economy of means,” Closky tells CR. “The rough confrontation of pen strokes with appropriated sophisticated photos cut out from magazines is an attempt to propose an alternative message, to escape the usual overproduction.”

In this turbulent moment, our experience is both personal and shared. Kauro Arima’s impressionist portrait “Paris” shows tumult within the self, where works by Aguirre Schwarz aka Zevs and Pia Camil explore the differences between public and personal narratives. Political artist Teresa Margolles takes on social disharmonies in her image, “El Capital te culea (Avenida de la República).” “I made an intervention in an abandoned building in Santiago de Chile using a graffiti I saw in the border between Colombia and Venezuela for this work,” explains the artist. “The message ‘The Capital fucks you’ has a particular resonance depending on the country where is presented. In Chile, during the riots against the government, it became a motto for the protesters. In Paris, it might have another significance.”

Within all of our experiences, both profound and challenging, You’ll Never Walk Alone celebrates moments of oneness. Like its range of artists and their messaging, there are many viewpoints and feelings about this time. Within each of our personal journeys through, there is also a common sense of walking together—into the future collectively.

You’ll Never Walk Alone is on view now until June 27 in Perrotin’s Saint-Claude space in Paris and online at the gallery’s virtual Viewing Salon.

END

prev link: https://www.crfashionbook.com/culture/a32874176/perrotin-paris-gallery-restons-unis-youll-never-walk-alone/
createdAt:Tue, 16 Jun 2020 02:03:10 +0000
displayType:Long Form Article
section:Culture