Xavier Veilhan «Orchestra» 76 rue de Turenne : September 10 - November 12, 2011

“Orchestra” rings out under the direction of the artist Xavier Veilhan as a polyphony of objects, renewing the perception of space in the Galerie Perrotin in Paris. The event marks a turning point through works that, for the most part, have never been seen before. At the same time, it initiates an introspective turn in the artist’s modus operandi. The new shapes displayed are not a negation of previous works, but rather inscribed in their continuity. “Mobile n°4” and “Stabiles” lend themselves readily to the visual field opened by Calder, which Xavier Veilhan exploits in a contemporary manner time and again. He also returns to painting by presenting old-fashioned images rendered traditionally; trees and birds that at first glance contrast sharply with the technical skill of certain works like “Turbine” and even contradict the autonomy of production of “Pendulum Dripping”. Xavier Veilhan thus evokes his interest for technique and its evolution in accordance with art history.

“Orchestra” is, however, a paradoxical synthesis, because even though the works are situated in a conceptual or thematic continuity, they also mark a visual and formal turning point in the artist’s approach. “Marine” for example, is not faceted in the way the “Architects” were. This more plausible sculpture clarifies the status of the imprint of the real that sculpture maintains in Xavier Veilhan’s method. The space is encompassed by exhibition techniques setting up instances of direct confrontation between the spectator and the figures represented. “The Monument” sets up a truly suprematist architectural space – another development in the work of Xavier Veilhan – and is thus made practicable to visitors.

“Orchestra” is accordingly a work in itself that invites meandering and contemplation. The public becomes the actor of the exhibition by going through “Les Rayons” for example, a work inspired by Fred Sandback and Jesús-Rafael Soto that can be penetrated. “Orchestra” depicts a new space between reality and fiction in which a monument emerges, an installation shines forth or a turbine powers up as elements that tend to disrupt reality. This composition brilliantly reaches its climax with the hypnotic gaze of a gorilla, the choice of which is justified by the artist who says, “there is a natural propensity to project human characteristics onto animals, which is an utter aberration by the way, but it’s a wonderful aberration”. The animal’s piercing gaze invites contemplation and reflection on this symphony of objects and sounds the end of “Orchestra” with a musical title, “Gorilla, Gorilla, Gorilla”. Thomas Fort

Xavier Veilhan was born in 1963 in France. He lives and works in Paris.

Solo shows / Public Projects (selection)

2012 : Phillips Collection, Washington ; La Conservera, Murcia ; Cité Radieuse, 2011 : «Spacing», Ilju Foundation, Seoul ; «Dark Matter», Andréhn-Schiptjenko, ; «Free Fall», Espace Louis Vuitton, Tokyo 2010 : «Mobile» at Maison Louis Vuitton, New York ; «Xavier Veilhan», Galerie Perrotin, Miami ; «Le Carrosse», Place de la République, ; «Interacting with History: Xavier Veilhan at The Mount», The Mount, Lenox ; Kukje Gallery, Seoul ; RAL 5015, Artcurial, Paris ; «Sorry We’re Closed», 2009 : «Veilhan Versailles», Château de Versailles, Versailles ; «Sophie», work in situ, Costes Restaurant Le Germain, Paris 2008 : «Furtivo», Galerie Perrotin, Paris ; «Furtivo», Pinacoteca Giovanni e Marella Agnelli, Torino 2007 : «Metric», Gering & López Gallery, New York ; Andréhn-Schiptjenko, Stockholm 2006 : «Les Habitants», Palais des Congrès de la Communauté Urbaine de (with Renzo Piano Building Workshop), Lyon (public project) ; «Miami Snowflakes», Galerie Perrotin, Miami ; «Sculptures automatiques», Galerie Perrotin, Paris 2005 : «Le Plein emploi», MAMC, ; «Le Projet Hyperréaliste», Rose Art Museum, Brandeis University, Waltham ; traveling to National Academy Museum, New York ; «People as Volume», Andréhn-Schiptjenko, Stockholm ; «Fantome», Centro de Arte Caja de , Burgos ; «Éléments célestes», artistic conception, Chanel Jewelry ; traveling to Taïwan, Paris, New York, Hong Kong, Tokyo ; «Le Lion», Place Stalingrad, (public project) 2004 : «Vanishing Point», Espace 315, , Paris ; «Light Machines», Fondation Vasarely, Aix-en-Provence ; traveling to Ecuries de Saint-Hugues, Cluny ; «Keep the Brown», Galeria Javier Lopez, ; «Big Mobile», Forum, Centre Pompidou, Paris ; «Le Monstre», Place du Marché, (public project) 2003 : «Keep The Brown», Sandra Gering Gallery, New York 2002 : Barbican Center, ; Installation from the workshop, Center for Contemporary Art, CCA Kitakyushu, Japan ; Konsthallen, Göteborg 2001 : Fundació Joan Miró, Centre d’Estudis d’arte contemporani, ; Andréhn-Schiptjenko, Stockholm Model of «Turbine» 2000 : Le Magasin, (curator : Yves Aupetitallot & Lionel Bovier) ; «La Ford T» Centre Pompidou, Paris (curator : Lionel 2010 Polyurethane resin ; 25 cm de diamètre x 4,8 cm / Bovier) ; Sandra Gering Gallery, New York ; «The Rhinoceros», Yves St. Laurent, New York diameter 9 7/8 x 1 7/8 inches. Photo © diane arques Groups Shows (selection)

2011 : «French Window: Contemporary French Art Scene/Seen through the Marcel Duchamp Prize», Mori Art Museum, Tokyo ; «D’après Nature», Château d’, Avignon ; «Look into my eyes», Mitterand+Cramer Fine Art, ; «2011 Lumens», Valls Museum, Valls 2010 : «Catch Me!» Kunsthaus , Autriche ; «Art for the world» (The Expo), The city of forking Path, Shangaï, China ; «Le Mont Analogue» Centro Cultural Metropolitan, Quito, Ecuador traveling to Montevideo ; «Chefs d’oeuvres?», Centre Pompidou, Metz, France 2009 : «Le sort probable de l’homme qui avait avalé le fantôme», Conciergerie, Paris ; «N’ importe Quoi» (curator : Olivier Vardot, Vincent Pecoil) Musée d’Art contemporain de Lyon, France ; «Dream Time», La Grotte, Mas d’Azil 2008 : «Demolition party», Le Royal Monceau (curator Hervé Mikaeloff), Paris ; Allsopp Contemporary, London 2007 : «Air de Paris», (La cabane éclatée aux Paysages Fantômes, a project by ; Aérolite, a concert with Air), Centre Pompidou, Paris 2006 : «La force de l’art / Grand Palais» 2006, Paris ; «Les artistes en Fance, 1999-2005», Grand Palais, Paris ; «Kit O’Parts», CAN, Neuchâtel, Suisse ; «Supernova : Experience Pommery # 3», Domaine Pommery, , France ; «Thank you for the music», Simon Lee Gallery, London ; «Collection and new acquisitions», Viktor Pinchuk Foundation, Kiev ; «Sol Système, Centre d’art Passerelle», Brest, France ; «Les artistes en France» : 1995-2005, Le Grand Palais, Paris ; «Boucle», Jardin des Tuileries ; «Ville Nouvelle», Cour de l’Hôtel de Ville, Nuit Blanche, Paris ; «InTRANSIT from Object to Site», David Winton Bell Gallery, Brown University, Providence 2005 : «Water (Without You I’m not)-Thoughts of a fish in a deep sea», 3rd Biennial of Contemporary Art of , Valencia ; «Fundacion La Caixa Collection, 20 years with Contemporary Art: New Acquisitions», Caixa Forum, Barcelona ; «De lo Real y lo View of the exhibition at Galerie Perrotin, Miami , 2010 Ficticio: Arte contemporaneo de Francia», Museo de Arte Moderno de Mexico, Mexico City, traveling to Bass Museum, Miami Photo © Mariano Peuser

All images : Courtesy Galerie Perrotin, Paris et ©Veilhan/Adagp, Paris 2011 For any information, please contact : Héloïse Le Carvennec [email protected] T. + 33 1 42 16 91 80