“Europe Contemporary Art Exhibition - Bonjour, La France! To my beloved dear” takes place at Seongnam Cultural Foundation and Goyang Cultural Foundation in celebration of 130th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Korea and France. The show is differentiated from many exhibitions in Korea that featured partial selection of works, and it will present works of representative French Contemporary artists and provide a look into a history of French Contemporary art, through a large scale exhibition in Korea.

Their works are visual orchestration of experience by aesthetic values, as well as an analysis and challenge to modern society through keen observation. Also, the educational factors of the exhibition provide an opportunity to experience the context of French Contemporary art in many different aspects to its audience and suggest a moment of discussion about the essence of art. This exhibition will feature a dynamic range of works from artists that put forth Niki de Saint Phalle, as well as Gael Davrinche, Lionel Sabatte, Claire Tabouret and many others. The show is divided into four main themes: Color and Form, Correspondence, Aura, and Narcisse and Goldmund. And it will not only offer geopolitical panorama, but it will also suggest a fresh new look through introduction of artworks and connection.

Color and Form

Color and Form is one of four themes for this exhibition. Contemporary art, which resists against the idea of rational scientism through a harmony between lines and color that freely travel between a boundary between abstraction and composition, helps humanity to overcome many different confrontations often through an emotional and illogical means. One wonders if a reason why the freely moving lines and color of Robert Combas, sponge patterns of Claude Viallat, inevitable brushstrokes of Segolene Perrot catch our attention is *Genius, as mentioned by Immanuel Kant? Such ingenious inspiration that often goes beyond supposed intention becomes an essence, which makes art beautiful, the natural born talent. The works of Jean-Michel Othoniel, which emphasize such characteristic of art, are produced together with a group of professional glassblowers from Murano Island in Italy, and the artistic values of the works come from soul and thoughts of the artist contained within the creative process. Each step within a scientific theory can be clearly explained and can be comprehended and reproduced by someone else besides a discoverer; however, artistic creative process is different. The creativity of scientific field and artistic creativity each essentially belong to a different field of order, and the artistic creativity especially depends heavily on the artist’s personal circumstance and response, as well as perspectives towards a world. For instance, for the still life photograph of Valerie Belin and the city scape image of Alain Bublex, the works deliver each specific narrative from the artist’ decision on a composition of the artist’s observation and images within the work. 

Correspondence

The narrative that artists deliver through their work is expressed as a visual language, and sensual correspondence to the audience, and sometimes it is shown by applying language features directly onto an image. There are several different approaches through which an artist delivers one’s story, such as motif, material, composition, color, and there are some artists who break away from traditional painting and choose to express themselves through a means of literature. Gathered together under a title of Correspondence, artists such as Ben, Niki de Saint Phalle, Sophie Calle, feature works that consist of a combination of word, diary, novel and letter. Ben brings out seemingly common language with philosophy of a daily life above a surface of art; Niki de Saint Phalle tells her story through ‘Nana’, her alter ego; Sophie Calle features a phrase from a self-confessing novel and a photograph which contains dramatic life story. Through their works, audience travel between a boundary of literature and art, and they become arbitrary accomplice that listen to an author’s voice when reading a book. Through such works, we think about a meaning behind a linguistic communication in art historical perspective. Aside from writing letters, Correspondence means, according to French poet Baudelaire, a responsiveness of five senses beyond a simple means of communication. From the musical excitement expressed from the last moves of withering flowers in Gael Davrinche’s works and a living energy from a plant bursting through a book in Gilles Barbier’s works, we respond with all of our five senses. 

Aura

Aside from physical self-awareness, we experience unexpected awe in front of a piece of artwork. Philosopher Walter Benjamin’s “Das Kunstwerk im Zeitalter seiner technischen Reproduzierbarkeit” includes a study on a mysterious atmosphere from an original piece of work or aura of an artwork from a unique work. Through an investigation on a development of photography and media technology, he insists that a collapse of aura is responsible for bringing out a popularity of art and developing a democracy of art. In today’s world, in which a technology for imitation, reproduction and circulation of artworks is greatly advanced, what meaning does worship value towards art hold? Within the works of Valerie Belin, ORLAN, and Pierre & Gilles, audience face mythical existence, more than a simple portraiture. Their works allow us to think about an identity of each individual, living in a universality of mass culture, through many different icons of today’s generation. Looking at “Mixed-race” series of Valerie Belin and “Peking Opera” portraits of ORLAN, we can think about a cultural exchange, globalization and its impact, and through artistic sublimation of kitsch pop culture, we can think about mass culture and audience, a fate of an individual, mythical image. Also, from works of Gael Davrinche and Lionel Sabatte, which focus on perishing beings or unpretty, abandoned things and pursue beauty in paradoxically way, we join in worries about existence of humanity. In front of frames by Kolkoz, which brings out a universal infinity in solemn atmosphere, we have a chance to take a look at contemplation of eternity and ephemera. The reason why a photography artist JR can claim to “[move the world with art]”, through Inside Out Project, which is a global art project that everyone in the world can participate, must be a feature of art which continues to maintain its aura, despite an advancement of distribution process.