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AURÉLIEN FROMENT / RYAN GANDER Of Any Actual Person, Living or Dead De toute personne réelle, vivante ou morte danse
19 November 2005 to 14 January 2006, Wednesday to Friday (2pm-7pm)
Opening 18 November 2005 from 6pm
Closed from 24 December to 3 January inclusive
The Laboratoires proudly presents the first exhibition that bring together Aurélien Froment (born in Angers in 1976) and Ryan Gander (born in Chester, Great Britain, in 1976), artists who have known each other for the last ten years and share common interests. Invited to collaborate for the first time, they have conceived the structure for the project Ofof Any Actual Person, Living or Dead as an exhibition-work, thought up and put in place during their residence at the Laboratoires d’Aubervilliers. Bringing together several years of work and shared thinking, the exhibition, all the elements of which have been specifically produced for the occasion, occupies all the spaces of the Laboratoires, juxtaposing works signed by one or other of the artists and ending with a piece in which the signatures are deliberately mixed up.
The last room, accessible at the end of a labyrinthine journey, borders on the archive room and the stock room and contains the materialisation of exchanges between artists during the last two years in the form of an edition of 100 000 postcards, where images that constitute an open network of associations of ideas and points of interest are presented and commented on. Like a loose-leaf catalogue of the exhibition, the postcards evoke a subjective encyclopaedia in which a certain relationship to history - through urban observations, allusions to art history, cinema, architecture and urbanism, among other things - is defined. This relationship has been suggested by the forms: history seen as a construction game, as a tangled web of stories in which fiction does not play the role of a detour but of a revelation. Numerous references to individual and collective memory, to Utopia and its concrete manifestations, to error as a constituent of the construction of history, and to play as a driving principle of knowledge, form the basis of their perception and their way of manipulating culture.
The exhibition has been conceived as a voyage between spaces which sometimes construct a story through staging and trompe-l’oeil, inviting the viewer to traverse the rooms of the Laboratoires according to a redefined trajectory. But it is above all the journey through time, physically creating a concrete relationship to Utopia, as evoked in the film, directed by Aurélien Froment, by the character of the guide who persists in summoning into the present, past and future events concerning the construction of a dream-like yet real Babylonian city in the middle of the desert.
All parts of the exhibition, though autonomous, are an allusive echo of each other, representing the stages of a mental and physical development and pointing to the multiplicity of fictional echoes arising from representations of reality. The two artists have concocted this particular intervention in such a way that it can never be completely grasped, constituting the behind-the-scenes aspects of other stories that they invite the visitor to imagine by similarly activating a body of signs of the world through translation and projection, literally and metaphorically speaking.
François Piron
COMPOSITION OF SPACES
1st space: It is guilt – Ryan Gander
The first space the visitor enters is a dark empty room containing a projection screen. A soundtrack, seemingly from a film, is perceptible while the screen projects a moving light although no image is really discernible. The visitor gradually realises that he is behind a cinema screen…
It is the behaviour of the viewer, placed in a situation of frustration and illicit voyeurism, which constitutes the work: his curiosity, his apprehension, his desire and his efforts to see.
The film It is guilt has never, and will never exist. Produced from a mixture of elements from different superimposed scripts, it only unveils a phantom story provoking a worrying sensation of déja-vu, or déjà-vécu for the visitor thus placed in the position of the blind. It thus appears as a generic experience, not only of cinema but of the capacities of cinema, acting as an illustration of itself, offering enough clues to generate an interpretation but undermining any possibility of results or a conclusion.
2nd space: Video projection – Aurélien Froment
At the end of a padded corridor, the viewer discovers a projection space in which a film is being projected.
The film takes place in Arcosanti, a prototype city in the Arizona desert initiated by the architect Paolo Soleri, the construction of which took 30 years. A narrator takes us through the city like a tourist guide. The discourse of the guide is aimed at reconstituting the visions of the city that preceded or accompanied its construction: the architect's programme, the stories and predictions of the builder-inhabitants, the memories of visitors, etc. All of these stories, that come together in the guide's monologue, progressively create an image of the town by marrying together the various forms: unfinished, simultaneously stretching towards the future and archiving its own past. The guide’s trajectory is almost circular, suggesting the entropy that characterises Soleri’s project and the cycle that has established itself there since its creation. This distortion of the perception of time takes the form of an even light that plunges the film into the permanence of a day without end. The film thus becomes uchronic by situating the viewer in an indeterminate time, in the near future or in another dimension – temporally and temporarily cut off from the world, following the example of this community that has isolated itself by installing itself in the desert.
3rd space: Aurélien Froment / Ryan Gander
The final space is the result of combined research by the two artists. This space, in its totality, offers the conditions for the setting up of hypothetical relationships and associations of ideas by the visitor through the relationships that may arise between the different elements of which it is composed.
The walls are covered with perforated hardboard, a material frequently used as much for its acoustic qualities as for the possibilities it offers for hanging display units and documents. The floor is covered with a parquet made up of a multitude of wooden blocks arranged to create several generic patterns. In the corner of the room, some extra blocks are piled against the wall. This project is Ryan Gander’s reinterpretation of a previous work by Aurélien Froment which consisted of presenting a similar collection of pieces of wood in a gallery space, left at the disposition of the visitors, without explanations or instructions.
Boxes filled with postcards are placed on the floor, some of which are open and others still closed. The visitors are invited to explore the contents. They are also free to take away some cards. A complete game consists of a hundred different cards - half of them produced by Ryan Gander, the other half by Aurélien Froment, although the cards do not identify their creator. Each card has a photo on one side while on the other side there is a text which comments on the image and suggests possible links to the others.
Production: Les Laboratoires d’Aubervilliers. With the support of the British Council, STORE (London) and Sennheiser. With thanks to Théâtre de la Commune d’Aubervilliers.
Aurélien Froment obtained a research grant from the Fiacre in 2003.
Postcards
RYAN GANDER Born 21-05-1976, Chester, UK. Lives and works in London
Awards and Prizes
2005 Baloise Art Statements Prize, Basel Art Fair, CH
2005 Beck’s Futures Shortlist, ICA, London, UK
2004 Cocheme Fellowship, Byam Shaw School of Art, London, UK
2003 Prix De Rome for Sculpture, NL
2001-2003 Arts Council of England International Fellowship, UK
Solo Exhibitions (* denotes catalogue)
2005 Artists Space, New York, USA
Les Laboratoires d'Aubervilliers, F*
Art Basel Statements with Annet Gelink Gallery, Basel, CH
Somewhere between 1886 and 2030 (2005), Store, London, UK*
2004 Cornerhouse, Manchester, UK*
But it was all green, Annet Gelink Gallery, Amsterdam, NL
La Gallerie dans ma Poche, Leeds and London, UK
2003 But it was all green, Store, London, UK
The Death of Abbé Faria, Stedelijk Museum Bureau, Amsterdam, NL*
2002 Marie Aurore Sorry, The International 3, Manchester, UK*
In Return, (with Shahryar Nashat), Centre Pasquart, Bienne, CH
Group Exhibitions (* denotes catalogue)
2005 Jaybird, ZERO... Milan, I (forthcoming)
T1 Triennial, Castello di Rivoli Museo d'Arte Contemporanea, Turin, I
(forthcoming)
Free Library, M + R Gallery, London, UK
Spectator T, Sheffield, UK*
Romance – A Novel, Cristina Guerra Contemporary Art, Lisbon P
GB Agency, Paris, F
Invisible Script, W139, Amsterdam, NL
Becks Futures, CCA, Glasgow, UK*
In This Colony, Vijfhuizen, NL*
Becks Futures, ICA, London, UK*
Project Room, Spazio Lima, Milan, I*
The World, Abridged, Kettles Yard, Cambridge, UK*
2004 Romantic Detachment, PS1, New York, USA*
Romantic Detachment, Chapter arts, Cardiff, UK*
Romantic Detachment, Q Arts, Dreby, UK*
Romantic Detachment, Folly Gallery, Lancaster, UK*
CBK, Dordrecht, NL
Summer Pursuits, Store, London, UK
Loose Associations, Centre Pompidou Beaubourg, Paris, F
Loose Associations, Foksal Gallery, Warsaw, P
2003 Catch Me, Onufri, National Gallery of Albania, AL
Tourette's, W139, Amsterdam, NL*
RDV, Résonance, Galerie des Terreaux, Lyon Biennale, Lyon, F
Prix de Rome Winner (National Netherlands Sculpture Prize),
Gem, Museum voor Actuele Kunst, Den Haag, NL*
Grizedale Artist in Residence, Cumbria, NL
2002 Unloaded, (Disused Military Bunkers), Oberschan, CH*
2001 Record Collection, Forde Gallery, Geneva, CH
In a language, Project ruimte zuid en oost, Amsterdam, NL
Year of the Artist Residency, The Lowry, Manchester, UK
2000 The Oriel Mostyn Open, UK
Square City, Holden Gallery, Manchester, UK
Goethe’s Oak Has Woodworm, Static Gallery, Liverpool, UK
Unfortunately Last Sunday, Museum Het Domain, Sittard, NL*
Free Space, Nieuw Internationaal Cultureel Centrum, Antwerpen, B*
Education
2001-2002 Post-Graduate Fine Art Participant - Rijksakedemie van beeldende
kunsten, Amsterdam,NL
1999-2000 Post-Graduate Fine Art Research Participant - Jan van Eyck Akademie,
Maastricht, NL
1996-1999 First Class Degree, BA (Hons) Interacitve Art - Manchester Metropolitan
University, Manchester, UK
Publications / Reviews
2005 Time Out , This is the future. Helen Stumper, No. 1834
Burlington Magazine, Paul Stonard, July 2005
Paris-Art, 'Petites Compositions entre amis', Alexandre Quoi, Online
Exit Express, ‘Gander at gb agency’, Guillaume Désanges, N° june 2005
Tema Celeste Feature, Daniella Perra, Issue 110, July
Project Room Catalogue, Spazio Lima.
Becks Futures Catalogue, ICA, 1-900300-46-X
The Observer, Tales from the shanty town, Laura Cumming, 27 March
The Guardian, Say it with Flowers, Adrian Searle, 22 March
The Independent, A Very Tidy Show Indeed, Charles Darwent, 20 March
The Sunday Times, It Should Fizz, Waldemar Januszczak, 20 March
The Daily Telegraph, Futures Imperfect, Serena Davies, 16 March
The Guardian, The Chain Gang, Ryan Gander, 09 March
2004 Frieze, Feature, (Mark Beasley) Issue 86, Oct
Dot dot dot Magazine, The boy part two, (Ryan Gander) Issue 8, Aug
Trouble, On Roleplay, (Ryan Gander) in English, On Roleplay, Sept
Trouble, Loose Associations and On Roleplay, (Ryan Gander) Numero 4, May
SHU Degree Catalogue, Introductory Text, (Ryan Gander) June
We Show Art, Stedelijk Museum Bureau Amsterdam, 9-789075-380767 Freefall, Arts Council England International Fellowships (Ryan Gander) 0-7287-0987-2
Art Forum, (Rachel Withers) February
Time Out London, Store, East End, (Martin Coomer), No. 1736
2003 Metropolis M, On Tino Sehgal, (Ryan Gander), Nr 6,
Dot dot dot Magazine, The boy part one (Ryan Gander) Issue 7, Dec
Graphic Magazine, Appendix, (Ryan Gander and Stuart Bailey), Nr.2
Metropolis M, Notes on Nothing, (Ryan Gander) Nr. 5
Stedelijk Bureau Newsletter, (Matthew Higgs) March
Stedelijk Museum Bulletin Magazine, (Jelle Bouwhuis) March
Dot dot dot Magazine, Loose Associations, (Ryan Gander) Issue 6 Aug
2002 Dot dot dot Magazine, The Man, (Ryan Gander) Issue 5 Aug
Untitled Magazine, (Miria Swain) Number 28 Summer
Everything Magazine, (Ryan Gander) Issue 4.1 Summer
Everything Magazine, (Ryan Gander) Issue 4.2 Summer
Flux Magazine, (Mick Robertson) #31 June
City Life, (Tim Birch) April
2001 Tubelight #18, (Arne Hendrixend) Dec
Issues, Jan van Eyck Editions, (Ryan Gander) Nov
Metropolis M Cover, (Ryan Gander) Nummer 5 Okt-Nov
Dot dot dot Magazine, On Roleplay, (Ryan Gander) Issue 2 Aug
Flux Magazine, (Jane Griffiths) #24 Apr-May
'Ruimte te Gebruiken', (Ryan Gander) The N.I.C.C.
2000 'Unfortunately last Sunday...' (Ryan Gander) Museum Het Domain
'...and knuts mountain bike', (Ryan Gander) Museum Het Domain Artists Publications / Monographs 2005 ‘From The Alpinist’ Fort Vijfhuizen / Artimo, 90-8546-042-5
‘It’s Like the Spoilt Brat of the Dictionary...’ STORE, 0-9550142-0-4 (with Alice Fisher)
2004 'The Boy that always looked up', Cornerhouse, 0-948797-44-4 (with Sara De Bondt)
2003 'Appendix', Artimo 90-75380-60-7 (with Stuart Bailey)
2002 ‘In a language’, i3 0-9542058-1-2 (with Sara De Bondt)
Teaching / Lectures Slade School of Art, London, UK
Goldsmiths College, London, UK
Byam Shaw School of Art London, UK
École nationale des beaux-arts, Lyon, F
Royal College of Art, London, UK
University of Brighton, Brighton, UK
Chelsea School of Art, The London Institute, London, UK
Leeds Metropolitan University, Leeds, UK
Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield, UK
Gerrit Rietveld Akademie, Amsterdam, NL
Manchester Metropolitan University, UK
Ruskin School of Art, Oxford, UK
Proto-Academy, Edinburgh, UK
UNIDEE Cittadellarte-Fondazione Pistoletto, Biella, I
AURÉLIEN FROMENT
Born in Angers, France, 1976. Lives and works in Paris
Education
2000 École régionale des Beaux-Arts, Nantes, DNSEP
1999 Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester
1998 École régionale des Beaux-Arts, Nantes, DNAP
1995 École régionale des Beaux-Arts, Rennes
Solo Exhibitions
2005 De toute personne réelle, vivante ou morte, Les Laboratoires
d’Aubervilliers, avec Ryan Gander, Aubervilliers
2002 Prochainement, Musée des Beaux-Arts, Mulhouse
Double, avec Hervé Coqueret, Alaplage, Toulouse
2001 Debuilding, Galerie de l’École des Beaux-Arts, Nantes
When No One Is Watching Us We Are Invisible, Esmudis, Mexico
Group Exhibitions
2003 Games, hARTware Projekte, Dortmund Pale Fire, Centre national de la photographie, Paris et Lyon
2002 Promotion, Espace Paul Ricard, Paris
2001 Mulhouse 001, Parc des expositions, Mulhouse
2000 Sublime, Duende Activiteiten, Rotterdam Copyright Copywrong, avec Patrice Gaillard, Nantes, Le Mans et Saint-Nazaire
Video programmes (selection)
2004 Film und Arkitektur, Brotfabrik, Berlin
2001 Inadaptation, festival vidéo art plastique, Hérouville No Foot Last Night, Palais de Tokyo, Paris Autour de l’œuvre de Robin Collyer, Frac Basse-Normandie
2000 Version_2000, Centre pour l’image contemporaine, Genève Le meilleur des mondes, Musée d’art contemporain, Lyon Plan B, hARTware Projekte, Dortmund
1998 Halleluyah les bobines, Braquage, Paris La vidéothèque éphèmère, Videonale 8, Bonn
Publications
2003 L’Archipel, avec Pierre Leguillon, in catalogue Pale FireArcosanti et la Fondation Cosanti inPurpl n°15, printemps–été 2002 2030, agenda
Bibliography
2003 Gerhard Kremer, L’île, entretien in Journal du Cnp n°19, Paris
2002 Claire Jacquet, Debuilding, in 02 n°20, Nantes
2000 Iris Dressler et Hans D. Christ, Sublime (catalogue), Rotterdam
Awards and Prizes
2005 Résidence aux laboratoires d’Aubervilliers
Résidence avec Irma Vep Lab, Chatillon/Marne
2002 Allocation de recherche, ministère de la culture (Fiacre)
Résidence à Moly Sabata, Fondation Albert Gleizes et Centre national de la photographie
2001 Prix de la jeune création Mulhouse 001, foire des écoles d’art
