pourinfos.org [apostils] : The artist and his “models”. Part II |Jean-Claude Moineau|
xavier cahen
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Mon May 1 00:12:52 CEST 2006
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The artist and his “models”
By Jean-Claude Moineau
Part II
html version
http://pourinfos.org/encours/item.php?id=3019
.../...
Aesthetics – or ethics – of the presence-presentation (rather than, as
sustains Thierry de Duve [20], presence-absence) can, in some cases,
come down to a simple pull back (rather than a total absence) like in
Jacqueline Salmon’s other series of photographs called Le Hangar [21]
taken in 2001 in the now dismantled Sangatte Center (that can rather be
assimilated to Michel Foucault’s [22] heterotopia than a non-site or a
counter-utopia). If here again, homeless bodies are mostly absent,
photographers show only makeshift beds, like here, folding beds, but
also, in order to prove that the place has been occupied, some drying
laundry, some strewn items of clothing and shoes. A few sleeping men are
appearing furtively in the shot. They are mostly hidden under their
covers, they have no faces, they are not identifiable - that was
probably necessary for security purposes – and they tend to lose all
human characteristics and therefore they become a thing. De-speculation,
de-dramatization (like in Edouard Manet’s L’Exécution de l’empereur
Maximilien where “the main event”, the historical event, the subject of
historical painting, becomes de-dramatized, unlike Goya’s Trois mai
1808), indeed, against “shock aesthetic” – if only there is a “shock
aesthetic” – as found in humanitarian photography, risking to bring back
the scene from an historical event to a less important event, to bring
back the scene in total indifference.
Wouldn’t it be just then, to give back the illegal alien or the outcast
his right to the image, rather than keeping him in the absence of image,
in the exclusion of image?
Andres Serrano tried to do that in his series entitled Nomades where he
photographed homeless people in an improvised studio set in the New York
subway; but, in using too much Caravagio’s chiaroscuro (Caravagio also
picked street guys as models), he monument-ized (here, opposition
monument-document) those he was photographing.
Jens Haaning, the Danish photographer, attempted also to capture first
generation immigrants in Copenhagen, in a trendy fashion photo style, as
if they were famous top models, with detailed list of their clothing,
showing labels and prices, just like in Bret Easton Ellis’ novel,
American Psycho. At the same time, he was preparing The refuge Calendar,
in 2002 where he used asylum seekers in Finland instead of the usual
pin-ups.
This takes us away from the anthropological model, and leads us to many
more models coming from high culture or low culture. Gabriela de Gusmao
Pereira is precisely the artist who comes closest to the anthropologist
model. In Invention Streets [23], she photographed in the streets of Rio
de Janeiro, and everywhere else in the world, including in France, not
the condition of the destitute, but their resourcefulness, their
inventiveness, “the art without art” of the homeless - often effectively
visible in her photos – in founding shelters, building themselves rest
areas, carrying their burden or selling various small items, non only in
order “to survive” - survival being the last resort, a sub-life – but to
actually live their lives. Similar gimmicks found in Michel de Certeau
[24] show, in their own way, how the homeless resist to being crushed by
the so-called consumer society. This is different from “la pratique de
la perruque” studied by Michel de Cerneau, where working people are
using their work tools for a personal use; we are dealing here with
unemployed people who are diverting various consumer society reminders,
such as supermarket trolleys. We are far from Krystof Wodiczko’s
homeless vehicles or “aliens staff” which, if they were ever available
to the outcasts, with the pretense of introducing them to the
passers-by, not only would keep them in their otherness, but would also
isolate them in their otherness even more. In this case, the fact that
homeless people are often visible in the photos is not a problem, since
they are neither presented in a victimized way, which would tend
crushing them more, nor in a militant mode, but as a source of great
creativity. We can regret at the most that Gabriela de Gusmao Pereira is
never seen herself on her photos, that whatever room “allocated” to the
creativity of those that she photographs, her work still stays in a “one
way” direction.
The group Stalker (who took over Andrei Tarkovski’s film title) also got
interested in the creativity of the oppressed – the architectural
creativity — and is based in Rome. It presents itself as an “urban art
lab” with swing-wing geometry, whose composition varies according to the
types of projects the group is involved with, and was founded by a group
of architects in association with various other architects, artists,
photographers, video artists, and anthropologists (except that in this
case, the anthropologist is only a model for the artists). They are very
fond of walking and therefore, they become walker-architects who are
nomads themselves, instead of the usual sedentary characteristics of
architecture, and unlike any spectacular-isation, they experiment from
the inside the urban phenomenon through their walking, just like the
walker-sculptors (Richard Long, Hamish Fulton…), widely using
photography, with the difference that Stalker’s walks are on urban
territory and not on rural territory. These walks are also to be
“situated” in the Situationist drift scene, with the difference that
they are not taking place in residential areas, but in what Stalker
calls “current territories” – current in a sense of temporary – a more
limited notion than the non-site notion referring to waste grounds,
fallow lands, and other urban zones, not so much peripheral or marginal,
but in-between zones generated by urban metropolis while waiting for
redistribution and constitute the dregs of urban civilization. Stalker
draws maps of the current territories after the walks, that is a model,
this time effectively a cartographic or geographic models, even if those
maps are meant to help losing usual geographic and tourist landmarks.
Cartography –maps and not carbon copies - to take the term of Deleuze
and Guattari [25] – of other sites – heterotopia or Temporary Atonomous
Zones (TAZ) [26] types, temporary themselves – and of other forms of
life trying to escape predetermined rules enacted by architects, town
planners, research departments, politicians and planners of all sorts,
to escape control, and invent all types of new possibilities: squats,
illegal constructions, “wild vegetables gardens”… An architecture
without architects being models for other architects themselves. As it
happened in Pessac [27], the inhabitant would be accused of
“denaturalizing” architecture –in this case, Le Corbusier’s architecture
– by doing some changes in order to take it over – it has been said that
modernist architecture was not, in fact, a housing machine since it was
not habitable, a piece of furniture brought in a house built, for
example by Mies van der Rohe was perceived as an intrusion-, the
inhabitant is here responsible if not for the architecture, for the
habitat, such as, according to Duchamp, the observer is drawing the
portrait, or in the portraits “executed” by some portraitists, the
portrait-ized is painting the portrait, not the portraitist. Thus,
Stalkers’practices become de facto a modernist functionalism criticism.
Even though Stalker since returned to the conception of artist as an
ethnographer but rather as a social re-mediator, and that is very
questionable, since social re-mediation is almost always an illusion,
because it only soothes the pains without being able to resolve pending
problems.
As the cartographic paradigm was also adopted by the architect Stefano
Boeri and his Agency Multiplicity based in Milan, and associated with
various artists (including the photographer Gabriele Basilico), - they
have undertaken researches about “eclectic atlas”, in using
heterogeneous supports without any pseudo-unity stitching up of
contradictions - trying to explore the relationship between land
transformations, vertical regulation systems and the proliferating forms
of local auto-organization.
The artist, rather than talking on the behalf of the proletariat or the
outcasts, could try, if not “to free the speech”, or at least, to give
voice to those who cannot speak out, who does only in a “fixed” way,
like on television during reality shows. It could be another paradigm,
the artist as spokesperson, opposed here again, to Wodiczko’s
spokesperson, who is seen more as a gagging instrument than a true
spokesperson…
Jean-Claude Moineau
Paris, November 10 th, 2005
Notes:
[1] Nicolas BOURRIAUD, « Time Specific Art contemporain, exploration et
développement durable », Expérience de la durée, Biennale de Lyon, Paris
musées, 2OO3.
http://www.cfwb.be/lartmeme/no029/pages/page4.htm
[2] Thomas KUHN, Thomas KUHN, « Comment on the Relations of Science and
Art », 1969, The Essential Tension, Selected Studies in Scientific
Tradition and Change, Chicago, University of Chicago, 1977.
http://www.gallimard.fr/auteurs/Thomas_S._Kuhn.htm
http://www.des.emory.edu/mfp/Kuhnsnap.html
[3] Joseph KOSUTH, «The Artist as Anthropologist», 1975, Art after
Philosophy and After, collected Writings,1966-1990, Cambridge, Mass.,
MIT Press, 1991.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0262111578/002-1919957-9836809?v=glance&n=283155
[4] Hal FOSTER, « L’Artiste comme ethnographe, ou la “fin de l’Histoire“
signifie-t-elle le retour à l’anthropologie ? », tr. fr. Jean-Paul
AMELINE, ed. Face à l’histoire, L’artiste moderne devant l’événement
historique, Paris, Flammarion- Centre Georges Pompidou, 1996.
http://www.cfwb.be/lartmeme/no026/pages/page7.htm
http://www.lettrevolee.com/halfoster.htm
[5] Walter BENJAMIN, « L’Auteur comme producteur », 1934, tr. fr. Paris,
Maspero, 1969.
[6] Ernst BLOCH, Erbschaft dieser Zeit, 1935, Frankfurt, Suhrkamp.
http://mitpress.mit.edu/catalog/author/default.asp?aid=2188
[7] Clifford GEERTZ, Works and Lives : The Anthropologist as Author,
Board of trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior university, 1988
http://www.sociotoile.net/article1.html
http://www.melissa.ens-cachan.fr/article.php3?id_article=254
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0804717478/002-1919957-9836809?v=glance&n=283155
[8] James CLIFFORD, Malaise dans la culture, L’ethnographie, la
littérature et l’art au XXe siècle, tr. fr. Paris, ENSBA, 1996.
http://livre.archinform.net/author/James_Clifford.htm
[9] Clifford GEERTZ, “Thick Description : Toward an Interpretative
Theory of Culture”, in The Interpretations of Culture, New York, Basic
Books, 1973. fr. Daniel CÉFAÏ, ed. L’Enquête de terrain, Paris, La
découverte, 2003.
http://lhomme.revues.org/document2042.html
GEERTZ Clifford, “Thick Description : Toward an Interpretative Theory of
Culture”, in The Interpretations of Culture, New York, Basic Books, 1973,
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/046503425X/002-1919957-9836809?v=glance&n=283155
http://www.amst.umd.edu/Research/cultland/annotations/Geertz1.html
[10] Harold GARFINKEL, « Le programme de l’ethnométhodologie », 1996,
tr. fr. L’Etnométhodologie, Une sociologie radicale, Paris, La
découverte, 2001.
http://www.unige.ch/fapse/SSE/groups/life/livres/alpha/F/Fornel_2001_A.html
[11] James CLIFFORD, « De l’autorité en ethnographie, Le récit
anthropologique comme texte littéraire », 1981, tr. fr. Daniel CÉFAÏ,
op. cit.
[12] Roland BARTHES, « La Mort de l’auteur », 1968, Œuvres complètes,
tome II, Paris, Seuil, 1994.
http://cernet.unige.ch/biblio/barth68.html
[13] Gilles LIPOVETSKY, Le Crépuscule du devoir, L’éthique indolore des
nouveaux temps démocratiques, Paris, Gallimard, 1992.
http://www.gallimard.fr/
[14] Marc AUGÉ, Non-lieux, Introduction à une anthropologie de la
surmodernité, Paris, Seuil, 1992.
http://www.urbanisme.fr/numero/337/Ide/invite.html
[15] Michel de CERTEAU, L’Invention du quotidien, tome 1, Arts de faire,
Paris, Union générale d’éditions, 1980.
http://www.bibliopoche.com/livre/L-invention-du-quotidien-Tome-I--Arts-de-faire/21374.html
[16] Anthony HERNANDEZ, Landscapes for the Homeless, Hanovre, Sprengel
Museum, 1995 et Landscapes for the Homeless II, Sons of Adam, Paris,
Centre national de la photographie- Lausanne, Musée de l’Elysée, 1997.
http://www.photographie.com/?evtid=105269&secid=2%20&PHPSESSID=7971868c65ae815830b11badf4b65e4c
[17] Régis DURAND, « Fils d’Adam », Anthony HERNANDEZ, Landscapes for
the Homeless II, op. cit.
http://www.fetchbook.info/fwd_description/search_2867541085.html
http://www.etudes.photographie.com/noteslect/ndl0309.html
[18] Jacqueline SALMON et Paul VIRILIO, Chambres précaires, Heidelberg
Kehrer, 2000.
http://www.campusi.com/isbn_3933257352.htm
[19] Virginia WOOLF, A room of Her own, tr. fr. Paris, Denoël- Gonthier,
1951.
http://www.lib.udel.edu/ud/spec/exhibits/woolf.htm
[20] Thierry de DUVE, « Performance ici et maintenant : l’art minimal,
un plaidoyer pour un nouveau théâtre », Essais datés tome 1, 1974-1986,
Paris, La différence, 1987.
http://home.netvigator.com/~jasperl/r%60tdd.htm#Brief%20Introduction
[21] Jacqueline SALMON, Le Hangar, Paris, Trans photographic press, 2001.
http://www.transphotographic.com/upload/fichier1141840590.pdf
[22] Michel FOUCAULT, « Des espaces autres », 1967, Dits et écrits
1954-1988, tome IV, 1980-1988, Paris, Gallimard, 1994.
http://foucault.info/documents/heteroTopia/foucault.heteroTopia.fr.html
http://books.google.fr/books
http://foucault.info/documents/foucault.entretienDangereux.fr.html
http://www.word-power.co.uk/platform/Michel-Foucault-Books
[23] Gabriela de Gusmao PEREIRA, Rua dos inventos – Invention Street,
Rio de Janeiro, Ouro sobre Azul, 2004.
[24] Michel de CERTEAU, op. cit.
http://www.jesuites.com/histoire/certeau.htm
[25] Gilles DELEUZE et Félix GUATTARI, Capitalisme et schizophrénie,
tome 2 Mille plateaux, Paris, Minuit, 1980.
http://www.uta.edu/english/apt/d&g/d&gweb.html
http://www.webdeleuze.com/
http://www.revue-chimeres.org/guattari/guattari.html
http://1libertaire.free.fr/Guattari16.html
[26] Cf. Hakim BEY, T.A.Z. The Temporary Autonomous Zone. Ontological
Anarchy, Poetic Terrorism, Brooklyn, Automedia, 1991.
http://www.lyber-eclat.net/lyber/taz.html
[27] Cf. Philippe BOUDON, Pessac de Le Corbusier, étude
socio-architecturale, Paris, Dunod, 1969.
http://www.archinform.net/quellen/57906.htm
Jean-Claude Moineau’s biography:
After studying linguistic, philosophy, math and music, Jean-Claude
Moineau got involved during the 60’s, in numerous artistic and
“meta-artistic” activities, mostly directed toward conceptual art,
virtual poetry, events, performing pieces, mail art and “art beyond
art”. He participates in various solo and group exhibitions and
performances in Paris, in France and all over the world, and he
collaborates with many French and international magazines. He is the
co-founder of many groups and reviews, and he organizes the first
Festival Permanent in Orléans, France.
As did most 68’s artists, he then stoppes all artistic activity. Unlike
many who started to get involved again, he refuses to resume his action,
as if nothing ever happened before. He continues to be interested in art
and in its apories, but in spite of it all, his thought processes remain
“meta-artitic”, in the sense of “what relates" to (in a critical way) art.
Since 1969 he teaches art theory at Paris VIII University where he
launched and for a long time directed a First Cycle in Art Formation,
while being aware of the on-going art world. He also participates in
many talks and lectures and is curating many exhibitions.
Main recent publications:
- L’Art dans l’indifférence de l’art, Paris, PPT, 2001.
http://www.e-ppt.net/pages/achats.html
- « La Musique s’écoute-t-elle encore ? »,
Musiques d’aujourd’hui, Actualité en 26 propos, Conseil général de la
Creuse, 1993.
http://www.synesthesie.com/heterophonies/theories/moineaulamusiquetxt.html
- « Who’s Afraid of Video ? », Giallu, Revue d’art et de sciences
humaines n° 5, Ajaccio, 1995.
- « Trop Much », Deuxième mois « off » de la photographie à Paris,
Paris, 1996.
http://www.myope.com/mois-off/off.html
- « After Art After Philosophy », (Easy) Viewing, St. Denis, Musée d’art
et d’histoire, 1997.
- « Paragraphs on Contextual Art », Présenten° 1, Paris, 1997.
- « Le Récit de l’art », Le Récit et les arts, Paris, L’Harmattan, 1998.
http://www.harmattan.fr/index.asp?navig=catalogue&obj=livre&no=13666
- « Habiter le cyberspace ? », Episodic n° 4-5, Paris, 1998.
http://www.e-ppt.net/pdf/catal_2006.pdf
- « ça va faire mal », Output n 2, Séoul, 1999.
- « Le Réseau de l’art », Output n°3, Séoul, 1999.
- « Au-delà de la valeur d’exposition », Avis de passage, St. Brieux,
ODDC Côtes d’Armor, 2001.
- « ça va ça vient », BERNARDINI, Alain, 1995/2002, Brétigny-sur-Orge,
Espace Jules Verne, 2002.
http://www.sdnf.net/panoramic/panoramic.html
- « A compte d’auteur » Allotopie n°B, Copyleft, Rennes, Incertain sens,
2003.
http://www.uhb.fr/alc/grac/incertain-sens/commande.htm
- « Fluxus : une critique artiste de l’art », Luvah hors série n°29,
Besançon, Luvah- Dijon, Presses du réel, 2004.
http://www.4t.fluxus.net/colloque01.htm
http://www.4t.fluxus.net/40p-a-lo.htm
- « Une théâtralité post-théâtrale », CORVIN, Michel et ANCEL, Franck,
ed. Autour de Jacques Polieri, Scénographie et technologie, Paris,
Bibliothèque nationale de France, 2004.
http://bibliographienationale.bnf.fr/Livres/M6_05.H/cadre792-1.html
- « De la photographie comme opérateur critique à la photographie comme
opérateur d’art », Ligeia, Dossiers sur l’art n°49-50-51-52, Paris, 2004.
http://revue-ligeia.com/contenu.php?id=19
- « Qu’est-ce que l’art a à faire des images ? », Art grandeur nature
2004, Saint-Ouen, Synesthésie 2004.
http://www.seine-saint-denis.fr/agn/
- « Le Concert des nations à l’ère de la globalisation », La Toison
d’or, Laboratoire artistique flottant, Girold, Apollonia, 2004.
- « Pour une nouvelle économie de l’art »,Guy CHEVALIER, Économies
silencieuses et audaces approximatives, Paris, PPT, 2005.
http://www.e-ppt.net/
-« Polyrythmie », Urban Rhythms Human Rythms, Pékin, Beijing Film
Academy / Saint-Denis, Université de Paris 8, 2005.
-« Fluxus, un en-jeu géopolitique », 20/21 siècles, Cahiers du Centre
Pierre Francastel n°2, Fluxus en France, 2005.
-« Étant donnés », Checkpoint n°1, 2006.
Translation : Kristine Barut Dreuilhe
Original version:
L'artiste et ses "modèles"
http://pourinfos.org/encours/item.php?id=3020
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