Galerie Chantal Crousel Sean Snyder Selected Press Galerie Chantal Crousel a moreserioustone,and examinestherelationshipsbetweenimage,propaganda, andtheconsumer. elevating it toanobject of highart. Though thepiece has asenseofhumour, thecollection of artwork has President U.S. Barack Obama by answering a quote question regarding framed the Sony a hack and including a copy of video, the DVD and on its prints, own pedestal, objects, of mixture a comprising show, Collision (SonyHacking Scandal)(2015). The SonyHackingScandalisoneof the central pieces ofthe cing whattranspiredaroundChristmastime,” Snyder said,whentalking about hisinstallation Aleatoric “I didn’t intend to create an artproject – itwasmyowninterest, in away. […]Initially I juststarted tra titled “ThePost-PhotographicCondition.” The exhibition runs in collaboration with the 14th edition of Le Mois de la Photo à Montrèal (MPM), new soloexhibition,“Algorithmic Archaeology,” attheLeonard&BinaEllen Art GalleryinMontreal. pating in the gallery talk, along with artists Anne Goldenberg and Matt Pagett, after the opening of his surrounding different formsofhackingandthemoralcodes surroundsuchanactivity. Snyderispartici dience member finishes, he pauses before answering the question and plunging the room into a discussion Kim Jong Un,the supreme leader of North Korea. He is frowning in concentration, and when the au addresses thedatabreach preceding the release of The Interview, amovie depicting the assassinationof about hacking inrelation to hisartinstallation, Aleatoric Collision (Sony HackingScandal) (2015) which Artist SeanSnydersits,microphoneclutched in onehand,listeningtoanaudience member askhim Written by Victoria Lessard| Visual byMarieLabrosse Sean Snyderexploresconsumerism,propaganda,andtheimage Filtering thetruth Culture |September21,2015 Lessard, Victoria. «Filtering thetruth», http://www.mcgilldaily.com/2015/09/filtering-the-truth/ TheMcGillDaily, September 21,2015. - - - Galerie Chantal Crousel what ishappeningjustoutsidetheframeofimage,inbothlocalandglobalcontexts. contemplate viewer the that demands work Snyder’s producer? the of ideals the suit to me for filtered is I consume what of much How myself? about narrative specific a craft to life my filtering I am much how – act reflexive a becomes media social “Algorithmic on Archaeology,”to choice visit each a After the itemseachnewsorganization focuseson:rottenbananas;aMarsbar;randomkitchenitems;books. manipulation of the narrative using the detritus of someone’s deserted residence is highlighted through The context. about conclusions own their draw to viewer the leaving named, not is person specific The from Snyder’s arises video the of comparison of media coverages of the abandoned home of a former leader of a ‘terrorist’ part organization. compelling most The conflict. single a surrounding coverage Snyder’s Casio,Seiko, Sheraton, Toyota, Mars (2004-05),a video that combines different clips of media in prominent producer, is its of needs the suit to framed be can something how filter, or the of idea The Snyder’s work,aswelltopicsofdiscussionduringtheartisttalk. The prevalence of theimageinsocialmediaanditsdominant role insocietyarealsokeythemeswithin ment –totalkabouthowthesefilterswork,and[Snyder’s] processistheworkofexaminingthatfilter.” has filters, Google has filters; so, I think any time we talk about social media now, that is the new develop censored directly, newsfeed, your on see filtersthatcontrolwhatyou Facebookhas filtered. it is Twitter being something of instead so filters, of power the is now media social in see we that things the of “One Snyder’s work,aswell as topics of discussionduring the artist talk. Fellow panelist and artist Pagett said, The prevalence oftheimageinsocialmedia andits dominant role insocietyarealsokeythemeswithin Lessard, Victoria. «Filtering thetruth», http://www.mcgilldaily.com/2015/09/filtering-the-truth/ TheMcGillDaily, September 21,2015. - Galerie Chantal Crousel from ParamountRanch3. Yeehaw! ~KATY DIAMONDHAMER chief ofthemagazineFOUNDATIONS, whichcanbefoundinprintandonline. These arehistoppicks working onanupcomingshowofhisownatClubProinLA,opening In hisfirstevercontributionforEyes Towards theDove,artistSebastianGladstoneiscurrentlyinLA literally. box artfairbeingheldinalarge conventioncenter, ParamountRanchtakesvisitorsoff thebeatenpath, Nanney, and The Box,LA withworksby California-basedPaulMcCarthy. Notthetraditionalwhite include ShoottheLobster, NY, exhibitingClaireBarrow&RebaMaybury, Jenny, LA withChuck Meise, andMendes Wood, SãoPaulo,showingPauloMonteiro.Domesticbasedgalleriesworth noting and CamilleBlatrix,KoenigGalerie,Berlin,withworksby Annette Kelm,CamilleHenrot,Michaela galleries including The Breeder, Athens, Jannis Varelas, BaliceHertling,Paris,showingJonathanBinet broadcast onHBO.Initsthirdeditionthefairisworkingwithanimpressiveinternationalrosterof Quinn Medicine Woman amongstthemorerecent,althoughfrom2003-2005,Carnivalewhichwas set, theranchstillhasa‘homestead’ feel withsetsthatwereusedinLittleHouseonthePrairieandDr. and eventuallybecomingpropertyoftheNationalParksServicein1980.Havingbeenutilizedasafilm nally purchasedin1927bythemoviestudioParamountPictures,beforepassingthroughafewhands January 30-31from11am-5pm andisheldat,youguessedit,ParamountRanch. The landwasorigi- ject byLizCraft,RobbieFitzpatrick, Alex Freedman,andPenttiMonkkonen,itisopentothepublic mount Ranch3,isrocking Agoura Hills,locatedaboutanhourNorthwestofLA. A alternativepro- Hope you’vegotyourcheckbookoutandspursreadybecausewithfifty-sevenexhibitors,Para Sebastian Gladstone Jan 31,2016 Top Picks:ParamountRanch3,CA Sebastian Gladstone. «Top Picks: ParamountRanch 3,CA»,EyesTowards the Dove, January31,2016. http://eyes-towards-the-dove.com/2016/01/top-picks-paramount-ranch-3-ca/ Photograph bySebastianGladstone Sean SnyderatChantalCrousel, ParamountRanch3,2016 GALERIE CHANTAL CROUSEL April 2016.HeisalsoEditor-in- - Galerie Chantal Crousel Decter, Joshua. “SeanSnyder, ArtForum ArtistSpace”. , March 2011. Galerie Chantal Crousel Decter, Joshua. “SeanSnyder, ArtForum ArtistSpace”. , March 2011. Galerie Chantal Crousel black andwhitebecomesasgrainythefootageinhiscamera. where world certain less a reveal results the and media, the from accept to come have we cliches visual the behind truth for searches Snyder possession. his in found items consumer the on focus surreal their and media the from Hussein’s capture Saddam of accounts conflicting spliced he Site, The like pieces, has Snyder repercussions, its and 9/11 war.Iraq the to focus his switched but experience, depersonalised early this In on ruminate to continued Since interaction. human real no virtually with - motel chain the lounge, airport the drive-through, the - spaces transitory in interested largely been had Snyder Sean Last modifiedonFriday8January201607.11 GMT Saturday 7February200900.01GMT Jessica Lack ICA, SW1, Thu to19 Apr Exhibitions preview:SeanSnyder, London Lack, Jessica. «Exhibitionspreview: SeanSnyder, London.»,TheGuardian,February 7,2009. http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2009/feb/07/sean-snyder-exhibition Galerie Chantal Crousel http://www.e-flux.com/journal/view/57 Sean Snyder,DisobedienceinByelorussia:Self-Interrogationon“Research-BasedArt”/Journale-flux relation to art, occasionally fluctuating between scientific and clinical terminology (applied arbitrarily). (applied terminology clinical and scientific between fluctuating occasionally art, to relation its and “context” of notion the caricature and satire of form the in explicate to attempt an in days few a for psychosis of state a enter will I cartoonist. a of that more but artist, the of role the assume not will I write, I As Good evening, I’m in charge of security for El Al, do you speak Hebrew? speak you do Al, El for security of charge in I’m evening, Good Art” “Research-Based on Self-Interrogation Byelorussia: in Disobedience Snyder Sean institution the However, on. so and contradictory, convoluted, hysteric, creative, savant, known: well are stereotypes The say? caricature. own to their to bound often are artists And art. frame that practitioners responsible by facilitated is Art trying you are What latter. the of notion the by supported former, make? the more Well, practice”? art “research-based A compulsion? A you on. so and do bribes, paid credentials, journalist art faked have confiscated, cameras had arrested, been places, of of out thrown been sort have I work. my for images and information access to order in situations precarious in What myself placed often have I live? you I do If Where yours? laptop this Is exhibitions. luggage? art in when participating having up end you conversations ritualistic same the having at annoyed became I that your in was most me struck what that suppose interrogator—I the for flag red procedures—another Al’s items El it? with familiar on was I sharp Although self-interrogation. of form the find in or questions original the to returning I by tense present the in here clarify to try will I which said, I would what said I why out weapons figure to tried since have I hotel. my at arrived I as any soon what have as interrogations of series the from remembered I laptop, what transcribed immediately I because said I you what know I your Do at bags? look to only your were these Are research.” “artistic as justify to difficult than more been have would which curiosities, my of consequences possible the consider I did later Only such. as marked clearly videos al-Qaeda of folder a contained it that mention to think didn’t I asked, When laptop. my from separated was I flight, the During cartoonist. a precisely, more or, artist, an himself was interrogator the out, turned it As artist. an be to intended never I that mentioned when I up messed really I Aviv. Tel to flight a onto escorted subsequently and detained was when I ago years few a officer security Al El an with but like, the or critic, curator, artist, an with not was art about had have I discussion interesting most single The function. mechanism entire the make who questions ask who those fact in is It sense. make might it point some at that and say, to something have might you that reminder a of enough That’s right. it get somehow thing—and next the do to order in more something know to want they that rather but know, already they what know don't people that not It’s questions. of lot a ask They about. talking are they what know entirely don’t people world, art the In also has its connotations: mental facility, the state, government, social order, and so forth. so and order, social government, state, the facility, mental connotations: its has also Snyder, Sean.«DisobedienceinByelorussia Byelorussia: on Self-Interrogation “Research-Based May Art”», E-flux Journal, 20,2009. New York New street Essex 41 , NY 10002 NY 20/05/09 13:12 Page 1sur12 , USA Galerie Chantal Crousel http://www.e-flux.com/journal/view/57 Sean Snyder,DisobedienceinByelorussia:Self-Interrogationon“Research-BasedArt”/Journale-flux its institutionalization. its and practice art “research-based” about growing discussion the to correspond that art in knowledge production of the to regard in Holert Tom by posed questions relevant immediately the mention to like would I institution, “context.” Concrete thinking has led me to believe that the recently applied designation “research-based” artist is possibly is artist “research-based” designation applied recently the that believe to led me has thinking Concrete circuit. short the identify to attempt to like would I and happened, simply that something but with, end to want would I designation or category a not certainly It’s critique.” “institutional of form oblique some on border unexpectedly that works practice, art current see I how to related issues address obliquely, if reflexively, that works two produced recently have I artist. an you’re said you thought I of format the it, understand I As conference? a in participate something. write and exception an make will to I case this in However, instrumentalized. is art way the reveal often They do. invited to what than rather do to not what been exemplify they not, than often More art. about discussions in myself involve to like don’t generally I artist, you’ve an As mean you do What ! appropriate. The next in a series of terms applied to my practice. Of course, such terms are necessary to necessary are terms such course, Of practice. my to applied terms of series a in next The appropriate. As As it. of some read I it. delete automatically don’t I inbox, my in up ends somehow that mail junk art the of most unlike cetera—and, et magazines, art affiliations, party interest, of framing—conflicts contextual to bound not interestingly is and information disseminating of necessity simple the on based is Its organizational structure bare. laid production is of spectrum entire the which in world art the of reflection a is itself e-flux formulations. of sorts these read when I optimistic Disobedience in Byelorussia, Byelorussia, in Disobedience e-flux journal e-flux 2 Snyder, Sean.«DisobedienceinByelorussia Byelorussia: on Self-Interrogation has begun to establish some general parameters, broadly concerned with issues surrounding the surrounding issues with concerned broadly parameters, general establish some to begun has 1 Magazine Life Soviet I also agree with Irit Rogoff’s comments on the occasional circular patterns in regard to regard in patterns circular occasional the on comments Rogoff’s Irit with agree also I “Research-Based May Art”», E-flux Journal, 20,2009. e-flux journal e-flux , November 1988. November , is intended to generate a new form of discourse. I am always am I discourse. of form new a generate to intended is 20/05/09 13:12 Page 2sur12 Galerie Chantal Crousel http://www.e-flux.com/journal/view/57 Sean Snyder,DisobedienceinByelorussia:Self-Interrogationon“Research-BasedArt”/Journale-flux And they have increasingly more to say. Based on what others have to say. And will keep talking. Until you Until talking. keep will And say. to others have what on Based say. to more increasingly have they And say? to trying morning. this Narita at crashed plane Ex Fed The you are time. this excuse an have did I But institution. art The institution. the to documents signed What the late sending was I it? do you do Why ! consequences. possible the to open practice, material any as guarantee, and, without self-reflexive illustrating, than rather questioning centered on is It finality. to confined not is art of practice the seriously, More practice? acceptable most the generally psychotic incoherent as artist the isn’t all, After re-institutionalized? Or institutionalized? be should I That institutionalized? be should practice research-based that notion the to ammunition give it Does myself. curious am I practice.” “research-based as such designations to warning potential a of something as serve should underline to attempt will I What happened. it how explain will I “context.” was in up tangled got I word The Word. Microsoft by corrected automatically words of sort the world, real the in confused gets that language the not language, plain in explain and try will I analysis. for specimen a as up held be can they so results subsequent some outline and hypothesis the explain to like would own—and practice”—my “research-based on research of form a conducted recently I else. something do and them circumvent and try I applied are terms when such however, typically, art; rationalize to insist on their imaginary roles in the institution. They just talk, telling us who said this about what, and so on. so and what, about this said who us telling talk, just They institution. the in roles imaginary their on insist to than say to more little have who people attract to seems it disciplines, other in interest increasing an has art As nut.” a find occasionally can squirrel blind a “Even example, For say. to funny something has host the sometimes But is. it what for itself presents it And talk. and talk And talk. People annoying. is it because but it, like I because Not online. radio talk American conservative to listening am I text, this writing am I While journalists. other confuse they And politics. about speak they sometimes because understand really don’t they things explain and try they sometimes But good. that’s And understand. they what understand they And journalists. art are there Then facts. check to journalists to up it’s But dates. the airlines, which planes, of types and models different the about talk can I accidents. plane about talk can I And do. I anything Than art. about discussions than important more are accidents plane Because delayed. be will it And me. from something expecting were people other But anything. expecting not Mass Wedding Ceremony, Unification Church, South Korea, 2000. Korea, South Church, Unification Ceremony, Wedding Mass Snyder, Sean.«DisobedienceinByelorussia Byelorussia: on Self-Interrogation “Research-Based May Art”», E-flux Journal, 20,2009. 3 That is an unfortunate fact. It was very windy last night. I was I night. last windy very was It fact. unfortunate an is That 20/05/09 13:12 Page 3sur 12 Galerie Chantal Crousel http://www.e-flux.com/journal/view/57 Sean Snyder,DisobedienceinByelorussia:Self-Interrogationon“Research-BasedArt”/Journale-flux he still wants to talk about my exhibition. my about talk to wants still he But show. his about talk let’s so him, tell I Then journalism. about talk to wants he But show. his of subject the about talk rather would I But while. a take will it but exhibition the in what’s of subject the about talk can I him tell I exhibition. my about talking is he But show. his watch I him tell I show. his mean I show. the about talk to want I him tell I exhibition. my about talk to wants He institution. the in exhibition my in was He television. on wear to had he realized I than More on. makeup of lot a had He CNN. from was He journalist. the recognized I next. do to not what you tells it And Feedback. Nonsense. itself. to speak to media the cause You happens. finally it later years few A implications. the of aware are artist the you And Dictatorship. the viewing Artist the of again. Viewer inverted be will it And world. art the in exhibit you Knowing Dictatorship. the of Viewer it. invert notice near the television a book with the title title the with book a television the near notice are you Incidentally, curious. are You Internet. the on it about reading There and television on it watching but Hussein, you? Saddam following actually Not Hussein. Saddam of capture the with following are you And television. watching are you that Imagine politics. as misconstrued be might what of nature arbitrary the of equipment example an give me Let camera have propaganda. not is art But art. through enforced be can you politics and theory that expectation the creates Topicality don’t Israel. Why in Jorn). (Asger spectators” influence to which with tools are photography. photograph They themselves: in ends not are objects to these but such, as treated be should and objects are art of works “All includes things work your interesting said many you thought I ! called magazine a to subscription a had also I convincing. particularly was accent, American perfect a with spoke who Posner, Vladimir named host One countries. socialist from broadcasts English-language the Particularly radio. short-wave to listening day a hours spent I kid a As comments. my of some diffuse I’ll gullibility, own my of admission in Here itself. discourse the question to me leads often that “discourse” of sort this precisely it’s And enough. insistent is one if art, in anything with away get can anyone Because Process. Bologna the or discipline more Demanding remember. Much the same confusion predominates in the art world, whose idealism wouldn’t exist without a basis. a without exist wouldn’t idealism whose world, art the in predominates confusion same the Much us. at window the out pigeon dead a threw they held was conference the where building the left we When unexpected. bit a was It States. United the in us visit to themselves invited us, they to system capitalist the explaining After ours. than better was system their that us convincing on intent were who students Soviet well-versed with politics discussing and lemonade bottled drinking groups, two in sitting Leningrad, in being remember I exchange. student a in Union Soviet the to went I thirteen was when I that so "News of the World," North Korean State Television, January 2009. January Television, State Korean North World," the of "News Snyder, Sean.«DisobedienceinByelorussia Byelorussia: on Self-Interrogation “Research-Based May Art”», E-flux Journal, 20,2009. The Dictatorship of the Viewer the of Dictatorship The Soviet Life Soviet . I found everything very impressive, so much so impressive, very everything found I . . And you, the “irrational” artist, “irrational” the you, And . 20/05/09 13:12 Page 4sur12 Galerie Chantal Crousel http://www.e-flux.com/journal/view/57 Sean Snyder,DisobedienceinByelorussia:Self-Interrogationon“Research-BasedArt”/Journale-flux already know. already don’t I Something subject. the about something know me let to order in art to parallel operate information let To own. its of subject a into made be can and collapses it until disintegrate meaning Let itself. generates that system a in reside it let and myth? it Ignore production. about information update to not a it been has conclusion temporary is My do. to not what of evidence more are fabric cultural the into Why incisions slight The undetected. nearly go can Which frequency. wrong the on about? operating of admittance an but accusation, an Not Aviv Tel in Bauhaus checked. are research of subject the of of facts the least at that hope can You myth nonsense? is discourse that of much How information? of the dissemination is quick the to relate space art physical the does How mediation? What of means own its negotiate art can How mean? you do What communicated. were they that illusion the often and exchanged, were ideas that evidence providing production, cultural of mechanization the into goes thought and paper wasted of lot A on. so and publications, critics, galleries, institutions, are There real. fact in are relies system art the which on conventions and mechanisms The of made. was it after examples years it about read I and born, have was I before magazines faxes, and postcards, of means by communicated was you art Do Conceptual it. experienced never I But books. in it seen have I because art “dematerialized” about talk can I magazines? like mean it. seeing without comprehended you be do can that art illusion the giving professionals, art for tool reference quick a is Internet the present, the into media, itself pasting and cutting with up keep to Unable practice. the articulate to unable are world art the of processes international archaic often The space. and In time particular a in exists art that amnesia is there formats, new by Dictated you? work? with your see work I your can where So ! wrong. something was there knew also I But space. occupied To media. the in distortion cause to art use to able was I moment a For circle. full come had everything realized I but ethics, about talking exactly not I’m productive. were consequences The more. Nothing world. real the in again look To know. already you what About see. you subject the about think you make To representation. of futility the about is it subject, the of meaning all collapse to attempt an is exhibition The intent. my explain and clean come to had I again? work, your of purpose the is what asked: he camera the for preparing While Evening News, North Korean State Television, February 2009. February Television, State Korean North News, Evening Snyder, Sean.«DisobedienceinByelorussia Byelorussia: on Self-Interrogation “Research-Based May Art”», E-flux Journal, 20,2009. 20/05/09 13:12 Page 5sur12 Galerie Chantal Crousel http://www.e-flux.com/journal/view/57 Sean Snyder,DisobedienceinByelorussia:Self-Interrogationon“Research-BasedArt”/Journale-flux criminal documents. They have been there for more than a hundred years, while the fictions have been made. been have fictions the while years, hundred a than more for there been have They documents. criminal existing through carefully looking researcher a from came This him. at glass a threw who Gauguin, with fight a of result the likely was it that ear, own his off cut not did Gogh Van that proposed historian art an Recently Politely. provoke. and Scandalize background. your exploit should You really. not but responsible, feel somehow you And faces. people’s in cards shove to her taught who know and it read you Because foundation. American-supported an from is card Her not? Why lunatic. a you’re thinks She serious. are You Turkey. Hungary be will show the of title the if ask You Turkey. in artists Hungarian of exhibition an do to plans her about Talking discussion. your interrupts face curator’s another in card shoving a curator A project. better a country. It’s own his in to immigrated he country the of monument the of video a makes he country. So own his in to immigrated he country the to monument a There’s version. His way. different a in thing, same the does And project. the did you place same the to goes artist same The Uncredited. text. the illustrate to took you photograph the with article the publishes He back. write doesn’t artist The theorist. 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Harvest Festival, Korea Monthly Magazine, DPRK, 1986. DPRK, Magazine, Monthly Korea Festival, Harvest Snyder, Sean.«DisobedienceinByelorussia Byelorussia: on Self-Interrogation “Research-Based May Art”», E-flux Journal, 20,2009. 20/05/09 13:12 Page 6sur 12 4 Galerie Chantal Crousel http://www.e-flux.com/journal/view/57 Sean Snyder,DisobedienceinByelorussia:Self-Interrogationon“Research-BasedArt”/Journale-flux with what you have learned—what you always understood as “context.” It might fail, but so what? so but fail, might It “context.” as understood always you learned—what have you what with something do and try you So yourself. for that of out meaning some make can you maybe then and convincing, sounds It them. to but you, to not maybe sense, make to starts it process the in and explain, and explain to have you So about. talking you’re what know don’t they and “context” about people with speaking up end You formatting. no there’s where market, black the market, the on it’s as soon as software pirated new get can You it. know you as formatting, no is there and Ukraine in You’re everything. plays It dollars. seventy for market the on get can you that China in made is that player media cheap one with solved be can years for encountered you’ve world art the of problems formatting the all that know You projects. art make to artists other invite And them. watch to want just You films. the with project art an do to want don’t You all. them watch can’t you know You edited. and screened be can they so shelves on them put and them organized hadn’t you if out thrown been have would They started. you center the to belong they and films 16mm 5000 than more with film archive a has University the Suppose idea. the in interested get people of lot A together. something do to able be might you realize you and idea similar a had He school. art in read you magazine real A magazine. a of editor the is He interested. also is who world art the in know you someone with talk you Then art. in interested more get people least At amusing. and decadent It’s mall. shopping a of part It’s art. the mean I glass. behind animals with museum, private new a is There it. understand you as least at art, contemporary no is there because know you what with something do to want just you scene, art another start to want don’t You too. understandable that’s And art. for it use always don’t they it get when they But understandable. that’s and art for funding about complain they now but center, Soros a was There university. the in academics some with together Ukraine in center a start to decide you Say ” On a technicality I qualify for permanent residency. permanent for qualify I technicality a On ” that? prove you Can artist. an are you says It institution. an from was visa last your “But said, officer immigration when the surprise a of kind was It what. or humanities, purposes, cultural for applying was I whether unsure Israel? were They confused. to were they and documents many too them gave I visas. for classifications twenty-seven are There strict. very is immigration Japanese immigrated immigration. Japanese of process the through went I year Last family your in explain. to try I world, art the in involved anyone not are they has if But art. with about talking I’m or hell the what understand never will simply who someone with than relations saying, I’m what repeat I time third or second the understand might who someone to Japanese speak rather I’d Jewish any have you Do wrong. all are facts the And thinking. were you thought you what not least thinking—at were you what not That’s hell? the what think, you and it read You .” . . that “Examines .” . . this in interested “Is work. your about other? writes media the what about curious you’re and media about is work each your because it read you and say, to have they what with package press known a you send they And yourself. About you lot. A talk. to have You responsibilities. different have have you So institutions. art in institutionalized, get you then long And school. Like worthwhile. it’s so between, in people How interesting are There it. with along goes experience But meet? you did Where Snyder, Sean.«DisobedienceinByelorussia Byelorussia: on Self-Interrogation “Research-Based May Art”», E-flux Journal, 20,2009. 5 I suddenly was reminded I’m an artist. an I’m reminded was suddenly I 20/05/09 13:12 Page 7sur 12 Galerie Chantal Crousel http://www.e-flux.com/journal/view/57 Sean Snyder,DisobedienceinByelorussia:Self-Interrogationon“Research-BasedArt”/Journale-flux paid for the cars. They are still on the streets in Pyongyang. in streets the on still are They cars. the for paid never and off them ripped just Koreans North The Swedes. the of trust the on Korea North to Volvos thousand few a sent government Democratic Social Sweden's 1970s, the in intentions: good all of fate the to speaks that A short anecdote, related to Liam Gillick’s research on the experimental factory. experimental the on research Gillick’s Liam to related anecdote, short A University. a at pool swimming new a visiting Jong-Il Kim day. other the from It’s not. it’s But technology. and science nation's the of development the to contribution great a making researches, scientific conducted actively and society, the of members all intellectualizing of policy the and cadres native training of policy the out carrying in role pivotal a playing successfully thus struggle, revolutionary arduous the of crucible the in talents revolutionary of number large a trained has It Process: Bologna the to applies it if as sound might it that so it reframe and de-contextualize statement, someone’s take can you example, For thinking. concrete Or metaphor. a is country. This the of insularity the of thinking am I information. of circulation the to referring am I irresponsible. sound to not here, clear be me Let delusional. not am I change. can’t I things These world. art the to “awareness” bring to Not real. are country. They the in time? exist that conditions horrific and politics the Not the world. art the for metaphor of sort a as Korea all North use could I possession your Korea. North of idea the like in journalists the But been Korea. South and North between difference it the know don’t who journalists art with spoken have I and subject Has it? same the with worked also have who artists other with discussions interesting had have I had world. art the to Back you have long How ! you give? you what back get you Will whom? for what producing is Who knowledge? the accumulates Who up. production ends

Unsung Heroes Unsung Snyder, Sean.«DisobedienceinByelorussia Byelorussia: on Self-Interrogation , North Korean Film Series, DPRK, 1981. DPRK, Series, Film Korean North , “Research-Based May Art”», E-flux Journal, 20,2009. 8 An important consideration here is where the where is here consideration important An 7 I am reminded of an incident an of reminded am I 6 20/05/09 13:12 Page 8sur12 Galerie Chantal Crousel http://www.e-flux.com/journal/view/57 Sean Snyder,DisobedienceinByelorussia:Self-Interrogationon“Research-BasedArt”/Journale-flux Not that the subject of archiving is not interesting. I just can’t read another concept based on another concept for concept another on based concept another read can’t just I interesting. not is archiving of subject the that Not art. as it present can I And mess. intricate fucking a be can it archive. And can I information. of lot a remember can I And syndrome. Asperger’s have I savant. a fact, in am, I disorder. a simply it’s maybe Or considerations. its and “context” explain to attempt might I then And research. the of subject the discuss still could I But “context.” about was there knowledge less the exhibited, I places the “peripheral” more and off further The translate. necessarily doesn’t “context” of notion the that found often I circuit. short the identify to start would I where is here Anyway, institution. art The institution. the to back go and leave to had I night the of end the At materials. paint at looking store supply art the around wandering myself found recently have I incoherently. talks and costumes, wears scripts, faked reads everyone Where art. of world art real delusional, bohemian, illusionary, like I was finally back in the real art world. The art world of the the of world art The world. art real the in back finally was I like felt I world. art the of school in had I fantasy same The different. were students these But students. more yet with academy another yet in coincidence, by Dillemuth Stephan into ran I reason, another yet for city another In useful. more that’s Because thinking. are you what them tell and yourself catch to have you then And experience. have you Because expect. students what it’s because convincing sound You same. the do to how about students to talking are when you this realize You Cynically. yourself. repeating yourself to listen to start you production zombie, programmed thematically a become nearly have you that realizing Without World.” The of “News called is program the activities, daily his on reports and Jong-Il Kim of praise of minutes twenty to fifteen perfunctory the following report, news the of end the towards week a once Appearing on. so and endurance, and activity physical extreme protest, worldwide technology, intimidating disasters, natural accidents, war, themes: consistent with spectacle alien and surrealistic a into world outside the edits Television State Korean North Propaganda. language. contorted interestingly the again was It Pyongyang. Radio to listened I teenager a was I When new. nothing is interest again, my Once ! yet another exhibition about archiving. It gives me a headache. And the idea of more curators archiving concepts archiving curators more of idea the And headache. a me gives It archiving. about exhibition another yet Detail from DPRK publication, Volvo 144s, 1989. 144s, Volvo publication, DPRK from Detail Snyder, Sean.«DisobedienceinByelorussia Byelorussia: on Self-Interrogation “Research-Based May Art”», E-flux Journal, 20,2009. Akademie that I read about in art school. The school. art in about read I that 20/05/09 13:12 Page 9sur 12 Galerie Chantal Crousel Sean Snyder,DisobedienceinByelorussia:Self-Interrogationon“Research-BasedArt”/Journale-flux http://www.e-flux.com/journal/view/57 way back to when I was about sixteen. On the premise of producing an art project, I bought the issues of of issues the bought I project, art an producing of premise the On sixteen. about was when I to back way the all going myself caught I by. seduced once was I regime the of me reminded self-correction of situation This matter. subject given a of framing and dismantling the on reliant entirely is It statement. a or conclusion outcome—a an precludes not, or research presented as whether experimentation, Artistic representation. of failures and problems the to alluded and authority, imitate that forms contradictory of matrix a through passed I truth. implying presentation with played distortion, with worked have I fact, In truth. of notion the inferred never have I produces. ideology surfaces visual and narratives the of terms in politics by informed art made have I art. political make to attempted never have I readings. generate can it but politics, not is building a of photograph A politics. not is Architecture Benjamin). (Walter invention” of death the is truth For exist. not does truth of knowledge “The reason. whatever for archived have I thing last the than idiotic more Something Editing. revisions. Constant margin. the in notes diagrams, misspellings, out, crossed is what mistakes, The justification. is notes and pictures meaningless seemingly of list His it. edited archive, and his researched who someone By book. a in archive, but his in Not Benjamin. Walter at look I doing am I hell the what understand and try To ! exhibition. another for pretext another as archives more and more through digging artists more and more of idea the is So annoying. is archive the of notion the archive to artists archiving curators other of in school that you can always walk out of class when you don’t like it. like don’t when you class of out walk always can you that school in learned I world. real the in exist can I So institution. art the mean I institution. the in time my all spend to have don’t I so rational seem it make to order in metaphors though world art the consider me makes thinking Concrete old. years sixteen was when I from photo the remember I And way. twisted a in optimistic even is It Byelorussia. in situation current the contradict They images. of series interesting an has particular in article One remember. could I what see and them re-read to wanted Life Walter Benajamin Archive. Benajamin Walter that I had received with my subscription at that time. When the magazines arrived, I realized I actually just actually I realized I arrived, magazines the When time. that at subscription my with received had I that Snyder, Sean.«DisobedienceinByelorussia Byelorussia: on Self-Interrogation “Research-Based May Art”», E-flux Journal, 20,2009. 20/05/09 13:12 Page 10sur 12 Soviet Galerie Chantal Crousel Sean Snyder,DisobedienceinByelorussia:Self-Interrogationon“Research-BasedArt”/Journale-flux http://www.e-flux.com/journal/view/57 of what is at stake when one speaks of of speaks when one stake at is what of produced within the artistic realm (or the artistic artistic the (or realm artistic the within produced 4 3 2 1 colophon journal e-flux contact issues all view 2009 e-flux copyright ☁ cartoonist. a also was interrogator the that me told later curator The telephone. the on curator the called when artist he an was I whether about skeptical was interrogators the of One institution. art An institution. an in works Who curator. a and interrogators Al El two from ago years few a this learned first I want. you what fact in is that if discipline any outside or inside it, with done something get can you maybe then And else. something for stand-in as act can it intangible, is art that someone convince can If you art. hijacking of notion the for possibilities see again, I Here borders. own its delineates that itself art is It content. the rejecting Without knowledge. of site the form the makes Art can’t. research what and do can art what forget to is so do To research. reduced to be simply cannot it that is practice art “research-based” about discussions in forgotten often is What context. art the in useless often it’s where point the that’s But successful. is it cases these In discipline. their informs result artwork? The surprise. a as the comes often it with, you entrusted they what with done have you what see when they buys end, the Who At explanation. by Followed preconceptions. have people most as skepticism, is there First is. art what know artwork? do people but are), you where on (depending society broader a for untranslatable largely your remains “context” of sells language the of much Yes, reason. good for probably and stopped, altogether been have I Who Occasionally material. source for discipline another approaching from away turned been have I which in instance one not is There profession? main your it is So 6 5 be taken into account in order for these epistemes to be be to epistemes these for order in account into taken be to has diversity and variety This consumption. production and of sphere networked flexibilized, the in operating and knowing of styles and ways unique highly competences, and skills specific embody on, so and assistants, gallery caterers, auctioneers, dealers, historians, technicians, policymakers, funders, educators, editors, curators, critics, students, teachers, artists, of combinations multifarious The spaces. and places various its in operate who Polis,” Polis,” Knowledge-based the in “Art Holert, Tom relation.” this of accounts usual the than differentiated and nuanced Korea News Services, March 19, 2009, 2009, 19, March Services, News Korea “Turning,” Rogoff, Irit these?” from emerge would substances and formats that trust and space in people of coming-together the privilege we did Or, said? being actually was what on value any put we did But questions. necessary some articulating and organizing and networking as questions, some to and knowledge some to access getting of way a as gathering, of kind particular the on touching questions to production relate art and practice, See “Kim Jong Il Provides On-the-Spot Guidance to Newly Built Swimming Complex at Kim Il Sung University,” Sung Il Kim at Complex Swimming Built Newly Guidance to On-the-Spot Provides Il Jong “Kim See Japan, of Immigration Bureau Japan,” to Contribution for “Guidelines See machen,” Schnitt einen müssen “Wir Küster, Bärbel See 2009, 23, March CNN.com, airport,” Tokyo at crash plane “Deadly See of mode a as practice, a as emerged talking—talking extensive of site the became world art the so “And artistic art, of meanings and situations actual the concerning issues how in interested particularly am “I e-flux journal e-flux Snyder, Sean.«DisobedienceinByelorussia Byelorussia: on Self-Interrogation , no. 3 (February 2009), 2009), (February 3 no. , “Research-Based May Art”», E-flux Journal, 20,2009. e-flux journal e-flux ". knowledge , no. 0 (November 2008), 2008), (November 0 no. , ". field in relation to art—an idea that is, in the best of cases, more cases, of best the in is, that idea art—an to relation in , as Pierre Bourdieu prefers it) by the practitioners or actors or practitioners the by it) prefers Bourdieu Pierre as , recognized Süddeutsche Zeitung Süddeutsche as such and to obtain at least a slim notion slim a least at obtain to and such as ". ". ". , February 24, 2009, 2009, 24, February , knowledge that can be can that ". 20/05/09 13:12 Page 11sur 12 Galerie Chantal Crousel Sean Snyder,DisobedienceinByelorussia:Self-Interrogationon“Research-BasedArt”/Journale-flux http://www.e-flux.com/journal/view/57 8 journal e-flux 7 Gallery, London; and Galerie Neu, Berlin. Neu, Galerie and London; Gallery, Snyder Sean See Volvo Car Corporation, “75 Years of Volvo Taxis,” press release, 11 March 2005, 2005, March 11 release, press Taxis,” Volvo of Years “75 Corporation, Car Volvo See Factory,” Experimental The 2: of 2 Part three? of groups in worked we if better be would it “Maybe Gillick, Liam Snyder, Sean.«DisobedienceinByelorussia Byelorussia: on Self-Interrogation , no. 3 (February 2009), 2009), (February 3 no. , is an artist who lives in Kyiv and Tokyo. He is represented by Galerie Chantal Crousel, Paris; Lisson Paris; Crousel, Chantal Galerie by represented is He Tokyo. and Kyiv in lives who artist an is “Research-Based May Art”», E-flux Journal, 20,2009. ". ". 20/05/09 13:12 Page 12 sur Galerie Chantal Crousel Snyder, Sean.«DisobedienceinTokyo», October1,2009. E-flux Journal, Galerie Chantal Crousel «Sean Snyder. DisobedienceinTokyo», October1,2009. E-flux Journal, Galerie Chantal Crousel «Sean Snyder. DisobedienceinTokyo», October1,2009. E-flux Journal, Galerie Chantal Crousel «Sean Snyder. DisobedienceinTokyo», October1,2009. E-flux Journal, Galerie Chantal Crousel «Sean Snyder. DisobedienceinTokyo», October1,2009. E-flux Journal, Galerie Chantal Crousel «Sean Snyder. DisobedienceinTokyo», October1,2009. E-flux Journal, Galerie Chantal Crousel «Sean Snyder. DisobedienceinTokyo», October1,2009. E-flux Journal, Galerie Chantal Crousel «Sean Snyder. DisobedienceinTokyo», October1,2009. E-flux Journal, Galerie Chantal Crousel «Sean Snyder. DisobedienceinTokyo», October1,2009. E-flux Journal, Galerie Chantal Crousel Prince, Mark. «ExhibitionReviews. London.Sean Snyder. International. ICA.»,Art InAmerica, June/July, 2009. Galerie Chantal Crousel reconfigure information tomakeitinteresting andpreventit fromendingupasbad respond toa givenstructurewithan inherent commentary. The question is: howcanyou a corporatereportorfrom a governmentagency, Iseeitasasortofpossibility totactically visual means. What youaretoldorseeisnotalwayswhat get.IfIuseaquotefromsay formal element.Iguesswhat we’retalkingaboutisrepresentation,whetherwith textorby dealing withexistingstructures ofinformation,andcanbeusedasanyothermedium or I usetextassumingthatitis agiventoolfromthehistoryofconceptualartas means to point across. with aswellartcontextual.Iresorttotextwhenvisual meansareinsubstantialtogeta and hopefullybuildlayersofinterpretationbothspecific tothesubjectmatterIamdealing sound bites.Imighttrytogetthegeneralsphereofwhat theprojectencompassesacross device togetthepointacross.Exhibitionsareoftenunderstood inwhatyoureferredtoas are simplyanamalgamationofinformationthatIuse toformulateaprojectandanother If Iwritesomethingitisapartofanartprojectandshould beunderstoodassuch. our lastsymboloffreedom, theartist? artists’ writings,oftreating themasspecialbecausetheywere created bythisuniquebeing, linked tothelattertendency. Isemphasison‘information’ analternativetotheprettification of mock-descriptive, objective,deadpanway, focusingon‘information’.Your workseemstobe consciously mocked.There hasalsobeenatendencytouselanguageindescriptiveor essayistic andacademicdiscourseisimitated,usedfordifferent ends,sometimes write ‘critical’ or‘theoretical texts’.From SmithsonandGrahamtoStanDouglas,journalistic, One couldargue thatthere hasoftenbeenamimeticelementtothewayinwhichartists ‘information’ or‘critique’ andregardtheartcontextsimplyasaconvenientmediumforthis. Maybe Ioverestimatetheart-contextualreadingofmywork;perhapspeoplelookmorefor However, Iworkalotonstructuringmaterialbyformallyusingreferencestoarthistory. sculptures or‘creating’ somethingeverythingwouldbeevaluatedonmuchdifferent terms. certain issues,thentherewouldbenoquestionsasked.IfIwasmakingformalpaintingsor involves acritiqueofwhatwearefedthoughthemedia.IfIabstainedfromdealingwith and theybecomeexasperatedifIdonotprovidethem–becauseengageinapracticethat my casepeoplesometimesseemtoexpectveryclear-cut, reductivestatementsofintent- conceived artworkwithalltherightsignifiersbecomesaprojectionspaceor‘interesting’.In works andthisinevitablymakesthingsreductive.Ontheotherhand,aquitesimply more apracticalmatter. You haveapressreleasewithtwoorthreelinedescriptionofthe mechanisms ofmakingsomethingtopicalandinthiswayintelligibleforanaudience.It’s I thinkalotartists’ andcurators’ intentionsandengagementwithissuesgetsreducedinthe How doyouperceive, anddealwith,thisstateofaffairs? de rigeur, where doesthisapparent perversionofamodelthatwasoncecriticalleaveus? interesting tosay’,‘havinganinteresting approach’ thatcanbeputintoafewwords isnow to beplayersinthesceneofinternationalcuratorsandbiennials?If‘havingsomething of thismodelnowthatartistsare required toproduce quasi-theoretical soundbitesinorder contemplation, andfocusonart’s entanglementwithideologyandpower. Whatisthestatus ways -thediscursiveelementoftheirpracticeinorder tocriticizetheideologyof Broodthaers, SmithsonandalsoSekulaemphasized-invaryingdegrees andindifferent works forestheticcontemplation.Inthelate1960sandearly1970s,artistslikeBuren, critical reaction totheromantic /modernistconceptionoftheartist,whoinessencecreated The modeloftheartistasaproducer ofdiscourseinsteadof,oraswellas,artobjectswasa Interview withSeanSnyder Text andOtherTools «Text andOtherTools. Interview with SeanSnyder», 2008. The texts Galerie Chantal Crousel a starting-point thatisvisual-the ranch -andthenworkwith that tomaketheinvisible links outside the traditional realm ofvisual art: they may besocial, political, economical. You take of SouthforkRanch…The workrevealings certainconnectionsorrelations thatmay fall shady entrepreneur, LarryHagman’s adsforLukoilinRomania, Hagman’s visit tothecopy scale) from theSouthforkRanchinSlobozia, theconnectionsofBushClanwiththis communist Romania,post-communist Romanianmillionaire buildingacopy(different in models toreveal arather bizarre constellationofconnections:thepopularity Dallas in Romania, youusephotography, videofootage,texts,press clippings,andarchitectural To takeacloselook at anotherofyour works:inDallasSouthfork in HermesLand,Slobozia, Hopefully that’s alsowheretheirony, humor, absurditycomein. the formofadescriptivetitle,brieftext(acaption), orajuxtapositionofinformation. connotations andsubtexts,thoughthisquestion representations. My useoftextandimageismeanttooscillatebetween apparentfactsandvarious extracting detailsfromasubsumedhistoryIwas tryingtosetupaspeculativecomparison. exclusive foreigncommunitywithnoapparentconsideration topastfailures. aspirations to Shanghai’s colonial past. They attempted to revive and a romantic notion of an advertising materialforthedevelopmentwasmarketingofwhatseemedtobe careful anduseazoomlenstomakethem. What Ifoundinterestingin thepromotional photos mightseemsoobliquebecausethecompoundwasheavilyguardedandIhadtobe Saudi Arabia called Seder Village that was actually later attacked by Al Queda) Anyway, the way, Iwasoriginallyplanningtodoaprojectaboutsimilargated communityinRiyadh, houses moreasatypologyof American housingthatstillexistsandhasmigrated.(Bythe really representedboredomandmediocrity. Ilater figuredoutitwasart.Iseethesesortsof neighborhood) totallyunawareoftheoriginalcontext,butIthoughtthatparticularimage on thecoverofaSonic Youth CDwhenIwasinhighschool(andlivedsucha course andlivedinthesamesortofhouse.IdorememberseeingoneGraham’s photos Graham’s Homesfor America. IgrewupinanidenticalneighborhoodtheUSwithagolf First off, there’s apersonaldimensioninthatparticularprojectmorethanhomagetoDan and theoldphotographs?Whatare theirspecificqualities? linear, discursivetexts)achieve,incombinationwiththevisualmontageofyourpictures and /orconceptualmontage.Whatdoyouthinksuchtextualmontages(ratherthanmore Tung oncewarnedthat‘revolution isnotadinnerparty.” Your workoftenrelies onvisual ‘Expatriate Communityatitsfinest”)are juxtaposedwiththeobservationthat“Mao Tse Shangai links(“To makeyourtimeinShanghaiascomfortableNorth America”; paraphrases from varioussources. Whatare apparently quotesfrom brochures from western concessionsinShanghai,andtextualfragmentsthatare mainlyquotesand in ChinawitholdpicturesAmerican suburb-stylecolonyforwesternmanagers oftheformer Grahamesque. You combinedaprojection ofthesephotographsthe(abandoned) Your photographsoftheShanghaiLinkssettlementstrikemeasbeingamongyourmost kindof Chinese remake ofDanGraham’s Homesfor America intheageofgatedcommunities. the art-contextual reading ofyourwork,Iamreminded ofShanghaiLinks,whichIseeasa justletting the viewer make hisorherownjudgments?Whenyouemphasizearthistoryand But surely preventing the workfrom endingupasbadjournalismmustinvolve more than authoritative oracademic. to makehisorherjudgments.Myworkshouldbeunderstoodasspeculative,not working withthattakesupwhereanexistingbodyofknowledgeleavesoff. Ioffer theviewer Any textthatendsupinaprojectisfiltered,pointedinterpretationofthematerialIam journalism, redundant,andmakethetracesextendbeyondreferencesourcesutilized? «Text andOtherTools. Interview with SeanSnyder», 2008. The textmightbein Though Galerie Chantal Crousel was something digestible and the other very context specific. I was curious to test the water the test to curious was I specific. context very other the and digestible something was work one Basically artwork. of reception the about something understand to curious sense a partofmycontribution, whilethegeneralartaudience wouldgettheother part.Iwasina get could context local a in everyone that intending was I North). the of Gibraltar the as to referred is (Luxembourg Gibraltar and Luxembourg between comparison structural of sort a was exhibition the for made was work on. other so The and duration and mobility of ideas in anairportwithlong duration, averyunintentionally formulaic artwork referencesand intelligible work about passengers arriving at Frankfurt airport which had a sort of non-space international artaudiencedislocatedfromthelocal context.OnonehandIhadavery tried inaverydirectwaytodealwiththelocalcontext andwhatIassumedwouldbean the Manifesta2inLuxembourg, whichwasbasicallythefirstexhibitionIparticipated in,I something about how I develop work and how I have shifted in approach. With my project in If Ioutlinetwoprojects,oneoldworkandin development,maybeIcanexplain sense. You usephotography, videoandtexttorepresent, toun-sitethesiteandreflect onit. such asarmybasesandgatescommunities…)yet itishardly site-specificinthetraditional Your image/textmontagesalwaysdealwithcertainsites(cites,placesincities,compounds represent. And Idon’t alwaysseetheformalizationofaprojectasterminalpoint. Korean architectureandUSmilitarybasesabroad-whichmaterialisdifficulttoaccess and itslimitations,forexampleinthecaseoftwolong-termprojectdealingwithNorth doesn’t playsomuchofaroleinmywork.Iammoreinterestedissuesrepresentation interesting. Heisextendingandreinterpretinghistoricalcannonsofphotography, which me it’sFor through theserialityaswell technical precision thatStruth’sbecomes work I respectalot,generallydon’twork whose trusttypifyingasituationthroughoneimage. level ofasingleimage.Inthecaseapproachphotographerlike a tendency in visual art to pick up a seemingly relevant subject and reduce the critique to the aspects oftheimagethatmightotherwisenotbeapparent.Unfortunately, Ithinkthatthere’s often stillsneedstitlesorsomebackgroundinformationtofunction,bringoutcertain is notpossibletomakeorobtaintherightimages;andevenapparently‘purely’ I dothinkthat purely visual art is fully capable of going beyond the surface, but sometimes it images oftheranchsoIwentthereandtooksome. evidence relatedtotheranchandLarryHagman’s careerasanactor. Icouldnot findany itself aroundtheknowledgethatacopyofranchexistsandaccumulationany actually seen the television series and things went from there. The project sort of established advertisements ofLarryHagmanonthestreetsBucharesteventhoughIneverhad made everythingseemquiteimpossible.Icouldbetteridentifywithlarge-scale front ofthePalacePeopletakingphotographs,giventheirscale,history, andsoon approachable. IbecameinterestedinCeausescu’s projects,butthefutilityofstandingin very interesting,butthesocialrealitypointedtosomethingIfeltwasnotsoeasily came nearly last in conceiving the project. The first time I went to Bucharest it was obviously Actually, withtheDallas/Sloboziaprojectphotosofareawhereranchislocated insubstantial togetthepointacross’. Thomas Struth-islimitedinthisregard?You saidthatyouusetext‘whenvisualmeansare text, howeversparse,isanecessity?Doyouthinkthatphotography–say, theworkof simulations, unabletoprovide insightintocontemporarycapitalism?Isthiswhytheuseof that ‘purely’ visualartispure spectacle,unabletogobehindappearancesormedia vis thepossibilitytomakesenseofcontemporaryworldinavisualform?Doyouthink that tie these structures together explicit. Does yourworkstem,inpart,from skepticism visà- «Text andOtherTools. Interview with SeanSnyder», 2008. Thomas Struth, visualart Galerie Chantal Crousel whose winnerwastheJapanesearchitectandurbanplannerKenzo an entryfrom Van denBroekenBakemainRotterdam)forthereconstruction ofthecity, planning for Skopje after a major earthquake in 1963. There was a UN competition (including significance? IdecidedtoapproachthisissuenotdirectlythoughSternet,butthe impulse topreservepartiallydysfunctionalbuildingsofquestionablearchitectural relate tothepremiseofprojectandfunctioninamoremetaphoricsense. preservation. Ifoundthebuildingsquiteuninterestingsolookedforsomethingthatwould was lookingforideasreinterpretingthespaceandassessingtheirvaluearchitectural commission Museum). The Stedelijk the of space exhibition temporary the houses now that building the (including stations railway to next buildings post-sorting of network obsolete a commissionedworkfromtheNAiandSKORdealingwithDutchSternetsystem,an meanings when shown in different locations. The project I am currently working on began as that mightinpartbesite-specific,butalsopointstoageneralcircumstanceandexpandits react to the concrete context (in which the exhibition takes place), I try to work with an issue certain contextandengageinakindofcontractualsite-specificitywhichyouaremust To explainmychangeinapproachabitmoreclearly:ratherthanproducingworkfor as towhatdegreeartworkcancommunicateanidea. something elsethatpreventsartfrombecominganexerciseinproblem-solving. dislocated, un-sitestheSternetcommission;notinordertosabotageitbutdo remained intactandconstitutesthestructureforSkopjetoday. SoImadealinkthat urban plannersDespiteinevitablerevisionsandcompromises, Tange’s basicplan experiments initiated by the UN and locally , for example sociologists working together with technological support, anditbecame a sortoftestinggroundfornumberinterdisciplinary donations frommorethan60countriesintheformofprefabricatedstructuresand was anadaptationof Tange’s Planfor Tokyo from1960. The UNresolutionincluded «Text andOtherTools. Interview with SeanSnyder», 2008. T ange. The scheme What isthe Galerie ARTIST.PICKS..indd 125 Chantal Crousel known works byknown works HélioOiticicaandLygia muchneeded.Alongsidewell- and very 1967 to1981was thoughtfullycurated Ferreira’s from ofBrazilianart survey impor oth Dias, Lygia Pape, and Zílio, Carlos Barrio, Antonio suchasArtur peers wereClark piecesby lesser-known Tomie as Question—The’70s)(Instituto comoQuestão—Anos70”(Art “Arte RIVANE NEUENSCHWANDER ofreason. outrageous forms itselfinto trated libidothattransforms And whatdowe read?Tales ofaconcen- reading thantodetachedobservation. pictures arebettersuitedtopassionate Here itbecameclearthatKlossowski’s in aspacethatfeelslike amustylibrary. on walls brownfabric, covered withdark to seethesepictures—inadustylight, Cologne) ThisishowI’ve always wanted Klossowski(MuseumLudwig,Pierre LOTHAR HEMPEL the years ofdictatorship. the years ers. Theshowremindedusofthe ers. tance of artistic resistanceduring tance ofartistic Ohtake, SãoPaulo) CuratorGlória “The Artists’ Artists. Best of 2007”,ArtForum, December,“The Artists’Artists. Bestof 2007,p.125. that of an interdisciplinary systemsana- that ofaninterdisciplinary biomythical Barney islivinghisdream— from hisadventuresinexoticlands, the explorerreturning nineteenth-century Like some in HydePark tobursting. esoteric mythologies fi lled thebuilding props, talesofathleticendurance, and Gallery,(Serpentine London)Bizarre “Matthew Barney: Drawing Restraint” KEITH TYSON shaped rectanglesby HélioOiticica. a redandwhitepaintingofirregularly branco (RedGoingThroughWhite), 1958, Metaesquema, o Vermêlho cortando aquatic birdpeopleby MaxErnst, and on pinkpaperofapairfantastical Houston. Two gemswere a1942drawing in collectionsofwork and visionary after seeingtwoinspiring, supersensual, fall Iwas remindedwhy Idowhat Houston) Arts (MuseumofFine Art CollectionofBrazilianConstructive Leirner Collection, Houston)andtheAdolpho Galleries(Menil The Surrealism KELLY NIPPER and I’mgladhedidthisshow. friends andstupidshitforbrainsfans and soareallofhisboringfuckhead New York) RichardPrinceisaboringfuck (Solomon R.GuggenheimMuseum, “Richard Prince:SpiritualAmerica” NATE LOWMAN for drawing, sculpture, andhuman identity. lyst withanexpandedsenseofpotential This fun too! cles ofthought.Andtheinstallationwas theobjectsintoparti- that transformed owls, Venetian masks, astronaut suits) bags, stuffed ment ofthings(carry-on uncannily preciseandrhythmic arrange- texture” mightmeanifitexisted.An tion ofwhattheconcept“deep Biennale) Anoverwhelming demonstra- Isa Genzken, Pavilion, Oil(German Venice MIRIAM BÄCKSTRÖM tant isthehow! the whatisimportant,butmoreimpor- what; Cézannefl ipped itaroundtosay isthe is important,butmoreimportant Goethesaidthehow center ofgoodart. dots. .Snyder takes usbacktothe deep blueabstractseaofbillions nose. You fi swimminginthe nd yourself a nose, Snyder showsusthedotsofa the imageitself.Insteadofshowingus of structure surface andintothevery DVD collagedraws youreyes beyond the (Kitakyushu Biennial, Japan)Thisbrilliant Sean Snyder, Schema(Television) THOMAS BAYRLE The Artists’ Artists The Artists’ most. Itwas rock’n’roll. far faster, riskier, andmoreelegantthan established codesandlimits, butitwas exhibition showed aclearawareness of peinture” (WhiteCube, London)This Sergej Jensen, “LaChambre dela MICHAEL KREBBER grays thatnever existedbefore. to Hawkins’s ofthekinds discovery asanappropriatewitness count serves houses, collages, andmonoprints, the away withinthisstunningshowofmodel ofCountMontesquieu.Tuckedportrait a miniaturereproductionofWhistler’s Los Angeles) Richard Hawkins (RichardTelles Art, Fine LECIA DOLE-RECIO on rueSt. Lazare , 2007, onecouldsee paper, 79 Bar barr From Klossowski, left:Pierre Les chalk onpinkpaper, 24 Untitled, 1942,pencilandwhite photograph, 40x60".MaxErnst, Untitled (Girlfriend), 1993, color ADAGP, Paris. Rights Society(ARS), New York/ (ARS), New York/ADAGP, Paris. RightsSociety © 2007Artists Through awindowinBordell s III), 1975,coloredpencilon es parallèlesIII(TheP

1 ⁄ 2 BEST OF2007 x49 DECEMBER 2007125 RichardPrince, 5 ⁄ 8 ". © 2007 Artists ". ©2007Artists 1 ⁄ 4 x18 arallel 11/9/07 12:20:42AM 7 ⁄ 8 ". o Galerie Chantal Crousel «AtThe SameTime Somewhere Else…» TheSkinny, February, 2006. Galerie Chantal Crousel Kennedy, Alexander. «In-Between art.»,TheList(Glasgow andEdinburgh Events Guide), January 5-9,2006. Galerie Chantal Crousel Black, Catrion. «Taking aimat thetruth.»,Sunday Herald, January 1,2006. Galerie Chantal Crousel Gale, Iain. «Images togiveGale, Iain.«Images Sunday, peaceachance» Scotlandon January 1,2006. Galerie Chantal Crousel used touncritically consumingyour knowledge inpre-digested form,hisworkmaypossibly leaveyou but are delivered with astraight face; like a deadpan comic with apenchant for black humour. Ifyouare methods borrowedfrom a tradition of politicized Conceptual art, Snyder’s workshaveaseriouspurpose memory, andcities and populations become a seriesofmerged backdrops. Adopting presentation narrative continuity – becomesastateofaffairs inwhichunfoldingnews eventsfadefromcollective which Snydersystematically captured for hoursonend. Analepsis –acinematic term for arupture in motorways. The workconsistsentirely of jump-cutedited ‘set-up’ and shotsexcerpted from newscoverage, airports choked areas, high-security bases, military refineries, oil sprawl, urban smog-veiled with brim the to filled as planet’sspots our hot shows instance for video (2003–4), silent Analepsis Snyder’s urban planning,architectureandthenewsmedia. and corporate power, usuallylooking into that power’s mostpatently perverse, maniacal expressions in suggest theDavid-versus-Goliathstanceofatireless self-appointed freelance critic of political, military presented inmultiple versions, arerevealing but neverneatlysewnup,authoritative or conclusive. They intentionally ambivalent and politically quixotic. Hisresearchprojects, sometimeslastingyearsand mockumentary videos and installations, which take the form of displayed dossiers and exposés, are the overlookedfrontiersofplausible, the preposterousandsadbuttrue. His appropriated-footage artistic process, which results in Conceptual works that don’t try to provide answers but rather display did Dallas get biginRomania? Investigating these kinds ofquestionsisthe basis ofSeanSnyder’s What do theskylinesofPyongyangandBucharest have in common? How JapaneseisSkopje? Why of urbanplanning,architectureandthenewsmedia Sean Snyder’s videosand photographs explore the often bizarre world Stranger thanFiction FEATURE -06MAY 2006 Eichler, Dominic. Than Fiction», «Stranger Frieze.com,May 6,2006. http://www.frieze.com/article/stranger-fiction Galerie Chantal Crousel documentary but neither can lay a claim to objectivity, the juxtaposition of the images underscores their Kwangbok Street are in fact a Potemkin village where no one actually lives’.3 Both videos are in a sense at analmostcar-free city centre in which‘itisrumouredthatthehigh-rise apartments complexes of other sideshowstouristvideo footage shot byan American nuclear scientist who visited the city, looking than a passing resemblance to Germany in the 1930s and Leni Riefenstahl’s aggrandizing angles. The thousands ofpeopletaking partinspectacular 10 Octobercelebrations, whose choreography hasmore of tens of shots with documentary Korean North a from taken footage official shows side One screen. Representations ofaGivenPlace(Pyongyang) (2001–4), projectedontoopposingsidesofahanging on aNorthKoreanradiostation, provided sourcesforasequelwork,thetwochannel video Two Oblique New leads,amongthemfromaBerlinbusdriver whoisashort-waveradioenthusiastandfanofmusic perhaps asdubiousarchitecturaltestimoniestotheir politicalmasters. symbols ofprosperity. Outwardly thereisnocomparisonbetweenBucharestandPyongyang,except in the late 1980s and ’90s tocompete with other emerging economies in the region by building grandiose lack of funding. The colossal building’s retro-Futuristic pyramid shape testifies to North Korea’s attempt was intended to be the tallest hotel in the world and remains unfinished owing to structural problems and installation. These includesatellite photographs ofthegargantuan 105-storeyRyugyong Hotel,which of NorthKorea,butSnyderdideventually obtain some footage and photographs ofPyongyangforthe isolationism the of because difficult proved Pyongyang with comparison the Making construction. its North Koreanarchitectural elements’.2 One million cubic metresof Transylvanian marble were usedin the and market flower Dutch a Pentagon. Itcombines‘pastichesofclassical, Baroque, Modernistandtraditional after Romanian aswell world the in buildings largest the of one arguably Parliament’), of Bucharest’s monstrouswhiteelephantthe‘PalaceofPeople’ (nowrenamedthe‘Palaceof II Sung’.1 This hypothesisbecame the subject of Snyder’s installation, which alsoincluded photographs Kim friend Korean North megalomaniac his of city capital the in alternative an find to [Ceausescu] led […] distaste for the steel and glassof Western capitalist architecture and the concrete of socialist building an alibi, ‘entire areasofthehistoriccentreweredemolishedtomakewayforhishallucinatory concept ordered amonumental transformation of Bucharest.Onesourcesuggestedthat,usinganearthquake as to the piece is the story of how between 1977 and 1987 Nicolae Ceausescu, spurred on by his wife, Take, for instance, the two versions of the installations Bucharest/Pyongyang (2000–4). The background bounds. Bricksandmortar, façades,massive avenuesallmanifestcontrol,powerandparanoia. in, as sickening –heights. Their needfortangible physical signsofself-aggrandizement seems toknowno – dizzy reach edifices Their exploitation. and imposition occupation, of marks tell-tale leave to exemplary developments in which regimes, the military, multinationals and businessmagnates conspire work Temporary Occupation (2003–5). Generally his field trips are less risky, although their subjects are surrounding infamousred-light district late at nightinOkinawa,Japan,whichledtotheprintsandvideo was shootinginfra-red footage of the perimeter of Kadena Air Base,aUSmilitary facility, aswell as the El targetfor a dodgy him Al’s Equally made officers. work security his of catalogue new a things, other recently discovered at an airport on hiswayto a conference in the Palestinian Territories, when, among hunting safaris are enough tomake him the subject ofsuspicionandhostile scrutiny – asthe artist evidence of anideological underbelly and power-broking machinations. These dayshisinformation- examining and documenting architecture and urban planning as if they are both endemic and symptomatic Snyder hasbeenglobetrotting, occasionallySince the1990s withadigitalcameraandlaptopintow, of theworld. dumbfounded, shocked, bemused or even laughing nervously about the cruel, absurd constructed reality Eichler, Dominic. Than Fiction», «Stranger Frieze.com,May 6,2006. http://www.frieze.com/article/stranger-fiction Galerie Chantal Crousel lot to do with adding local touches and the inclusion of regional vernacular elements in the various McDonalds, PizzaHut,Kentucky Fried ChickenandBurger Kingoutlets around theglobe,has a of FastFoodProject (1999), aseriesofphotographspresented as twovideo slide shows documenting Counter tothesesuburban housingprojects,therelentless crawloffast food chainsthatisthesubject like toyblocksonempty fields. order intoallthat’.4Socialist Marzahn doesn’t lookthatdifferent, withitsregimented buildings placed little a ‘put someone that demanded and helicopter by Paris suburban of area the over flown had Gaulle conformity and planning from above. Snyder, alover of detail, unearthed the footnote: in 1961Charles de ideals appliedonanenormousscale,aswellsending ashiverdownthespinebecauseoftheirimposed strangely unlocatable. These photographsequally allow foranostalgic reading basedonUtopiansocialist and Paris–‘Marzahn’ (1995–6)and‘Paris/Paris Banlieue’ (1995–7)respectively – lookambivalent and centrifugal force emanating from power centres. Earlier photographic series of the outskirts of East Berlin to be on the periphery that things are most likely to unravel, where entropy often is accelerated by the preliminary models and inksketches were subsequently mistranslated on the ground in Skopje. It seems his 1960planfor Tokyo,although wereselectedbytheUN, Tange laterquitthemassiveproject.His Ultimately, manyofprogressiveJapanesearchitect Kenzo Tange’s proposals,inpartanadaptation of new andwell-meaningmethodsofinterdisciplinaryurbanplanningsociologicalexperiments. experts in variousdisciplines and political credos collaborated on a‘master plan’ forthe city using then the international effort to rebuild Skopje after the massive earthquake in 1963. A team of international Resurgent: The StoryofaUnitedNationsSpecial Fund Town PlanningProject. The reportdocuments 5). This project draws on,among other things, material in the 1970 United Nations publication Skopje boundaries arealsoimplicitincluding in anumberoftheworks, A RevisionistModelofSolidarity(2004– The global distribution and oddtranslation of plans and models across national, cultural and ideological that George W. Bushwasalsoonceaguest. together with PrincePaul,thepretender to theRomanian throne,andalocal newspaper clipping reported information in theinstallation documents Hagman andhiswife,Maj,visiting the ranchinitsheyday Eiffel Tower, gypsypagodasand castles. Snyder hadto bribe locals to let him in to photograph. Other miniature a include estate the on attractions Other impossible. spatially and fictitious entirely set, studio a just was series the in Southfork of interior the although floor-plans, and size the of comparison a for wide-angle shots ofthe house inthe TV series’ trailer. Two architectural models in the installation allow and the Black Sea. The Slobozia Southfork simulation is bigger than the original, as it was based on the a BalkanversionoftheSouthforkranchonhisestateinSlobozia,mainroadbetweenBucharest the mid-1990slater imprisoned soybeanmagnate Ilie Alexandru, presumablyadevotedfan,created generations of people watching it for the first time. I get a lot of mail from Bulgaria, Romania, Nigeria.’ In fall of the Russian empire […] You know, it’s oncable TV three times a day […] We’ve got whole new Hagmancommenting ‘JR’ in aninterview about Dallas’Larry Cold actor War role: ‘I thinkwe weredirectly or indirectly responsible forthe reports catalogue’s Snyder’s of One backfired. definitely plan broadcast undertheCeausescuregime.Perhapsoriginallyintendedasanti-capitalist propaganda, the syndicated seemingly everywhere). The show wasapparently one of the few American TV programmes documents thatexplorestherathercurioushistoryofimpact in Romaniaofthe TV seriesDallas (still (2001), aninstallation consisting oftemporarywalls,videophotographs,architectural models and Another bizarreCold War exchange isthesubjectofDallasSouthforkinHermesLand,Slobozia,Romania contradictions. Eichler, Dominic. Than Fiction», «Stranger Frieze.com,May 6,2006. http://www.frieze.com/article/stranger-fiction Galerie Chantal Crousel Graham’s investigation into serial suburbanhousing‘Homes for America’ (1965), MarthaRosler’s anti- hints ofunsettling meta-narratives. His artistic method variously recalls seminal works suchas Dan In many of Snyder’s worksconceptually reframed documents, texts and pictures blend together to provide contractors inIraqthatthe artistdownloadedfromfile-sharingwebsites. Istanbul Biennial, Untitled (Iraq) (2003–5),isagridofamateur postcard-size images shot by soldiersand camera shutters areoftenlouderthanthesoundof theexplodingbombs. Aat thelast relatedwork shown work culminates withharrowingclose-upfootage of thebombing of Baghdad,inwhichtheclicking vehicles. Italsorelateshowincreasingly soldiers arereplacing journalists asthesourceofimages. The in aidconvoys,theSheratonHotelinBaghdad,and M&Ms Taliban’s preferencefor Toyota utility and Iraqsincethemid-1980s,including Osama BinLaden’s variousmodelsofCasiowristwatches, video focuses onthe brands and productsthat have appeared in newsandphotojournalism in Afghanistan television exposé, Michael Moore documentary and Michelangelo Antonioni’s film Blow-up (1966). The Casio, Seiko,Sheraton, Toyota, Mars(2004–5). This chilling work functions somethinglikeamixof video the in explored is seems it as innocuous as not is detail floor. of the kind on this bars that fact The and photographs ofthe hideout, focusing on details about the contents of Saddam’s fridge and two Mars that theyalsoseemtoinvolvesomekindofbrazenproductplacement. Snyder collected descriptions information becomes synonymous withmisinformation. What is disturbing about thevariousreportsis Here hole. spider and hideout Hussein’s shanty Saddam about reports media conflicting of assemblage in on revealing details is acentral tenet of Snyder’s works. The Site (2004–5) consistsofa photo-text Critiquing badnewsthroughparodyaswellhighlighting inconsistencies and blindspotsbyzooming always theproductofpredeterminedformatsandanongoinginternationalgame‘Chinese Whispers’. that information is persegoodorcanbeharnessedandcontrolled. Information is de-contextualized. It is distributed, andtheslippagedistortionof‘objective fact’ thatthisinvolves:implodingtheillusion One ofthe main subtexts to his practice is a consideration of the way information is displaced and calling, faxing,his1400-channel TV satellite dish and,ofcourse,theInternet–togatherinformation. and private investigator, heuseseverypossiblemeans–including news agencies, picture archives, cold- precursor toappreciating how extremely understated his worksendupappearing. An obsessiveresearcher Considering theprocess,greatlengthsSnydergoestoinorderobtainmaterial is anecessary Shanghai’s newfreaked-outLunaParkskyline. on influence US about commentary with past, colonial its and Shanghai of footage historic is monitor a in sofarasthesizeof American-built lawns equals thesizeoflocal farms.’ As acounterpoint, on its surroundings. The expatriate villa community relates to the indigenous environment of Shanghai only description ‘thecompoundisfencedinwithwatchtowers andguards,completely wry isolating itfrom is finished, you’ll never know you are in China’. The installation also incorporates other text, such as the use their golf course. Advertising for the development included statements such as‘When this development North American executives stationed in China. To makethephotographsSnyderhadtosayhewanted ‘Shanghai Links’ – whichisactually extremely unlinked andconceptually unhinged –wastargeted for (2002) –reveals another form ofarchitectural neo-colonialism in aglobal guise. The gated community A groupofphotographsdocumentingafailedpropertydevelopment–ShanghaiLinks,HuaXia Trip comparisons’. largest commercial consumer ofsatellite imagery, the toanalyse prospective restaurant locations and conduct yearly be to rumoured is ‘McDonald’s unverifiable the or status,’ marital and sex by organized is alternative snippets collected by theartist, such as‘thinkglobally act locally’, or ‘InSaudi Arabia seating franchises’ restaurants. In addition, short textsonavideomonitor mix corporate policy statements with Eichler, Dominic. Than Fiction», «Stranger Frieze.com,May 6,2006. http://www.frieze.com/article/stranger-fiction Galerie Chantal Crousel St Gallen;Portikus,FrankfurtamMain;andSecession, Vienna; 2005,p.17 Cahiers, Paris, 1995asquoted in the catalogue Sean Snyder, De Appel, Amsterdam; Neue KunstHalle, 4 Institutd’Aménagement et d’UrbanismedelaRégionIle-de-France.‘InterviewwithPaulDelouvrier’, 3 Ibid.p.33 2 Ibid.p.23 and architect an watercolourist whocovertlydocumentedthedestructionofhistoriccitycentreBucharest. is Leahu 1995. Bucharest, Grafica, Arta Editura Disparut, Bucurestiul book Leahu’s Kunststipendium, Künstlerhaus Bethanien and Vice Versa Verlag, Berlin, 2002, p.18; based on Gheorghe 1 Text fromtheartist’s catalogue Bucharest Slobozia Dallas Pyongyang–SeanSnyderDZBank Dominic Eichlerisawriter, artistandmusicianwholivesinBerlin. rejected astooimprobableforanyworkoffiction. plot so riddled withobscenely telling coincidences and underhanddealings that it wouldimmediately be police and military use to South Africa under apartheid. Snyder’s ownworkreads like lines from a global Apart (1978), in which the artist criticized the state-owned firm British Leyland for exporting vehicles for Vietnam war collages‘Bringingthe War Home:HouseBeautiful’ (1967–72)orHansHaacke’s A Breed Eichler, Dominic. Than Fiction», «Stranger Frieze.com,May 6,2006. http://www.frieze.com/article/stranger-fiction Galerie Chantal Crousel architectural favoured urbanlandscapespredicated on mobility andcirculation. theorist Constant, who … between dialogue a around organised potential) of LeCorbusier--advocatingthe words skyscrapersandformalrigour--and theSituationistartistand of model a (itself film a for storyboards sketched of how ideals of architects and theorists are played out within urban spaces.UrbanFiction, 2003, isaset gulf the in interest an Snyder with between language and the real, and inthe instrumentalising of information. In hercase,the focus ison shares Ronicke 90s. the of turn documentary the through filtered whether visualorlinguistic--snapped backintotopical focusbyevents;ideasfromthreedecadesago Snyder’s territory, then, is standard-issue cultural theory--the relationship between truth and representation, contradict each other somuchthat reportage comes toappear equivalent to agame of Chinese Whispers. journalists’ the of some of nature fictitious the latter, texts. confidently infer The case, to any possible in about the capture of Saddam Hussein surroundpixelated video shots ofhisbunker, fromwhich it is is lessabyssalthan the juxtaposed productsofembedded journalists. Quotations from newspaper reports photojournalist should aimtoget. And yet,as The Site,2004-05,demonstrates, such uninscribedimagery a picture’ that of kinds ‘five lists which 2004-05, Toyota,Sheraton, Mars, Seiko, Casio, montage video photography that was not made according to the textbook mentioned in Snyder’s classically deconstructive rifles, is of this through, full haphazardly filter to boot crockery.meaning and Allowing car glass broken a with strewn carpets crosshairs, in caught wire barbed on bird a iconography, Christian featuring put upbysoldiersandcontractors in Iraq,toursthewarzone’s peripheries: a 7-11 storesellingpaintings in a grid on the wall, Untitled (Iraq), 2003-05, an archive of photographs lifted from file-sharing websites material facts so much as locate a blurry negative space between their divergent slants on reality. Presented Snyder’s workisthe most taxonomical here, but nevertheless it does notbuild meaning from itsemployed who isright? So, pigeonholing. of shy fight to going is artist intelligent any again, Then do. they what not is research during thisshow’s run,itwasinteresting to heartheseartistsgentlyinformSchwartzbartthat,actually, and methods’,itfeelslike an impoverished model for art. Which is why, ataroundtable that took place conventions academic from free is which research of kind ‘a practise Ronicke Pia and Ohanian Melik to presentartists thanasempirical data-gatherers? Even with theprovisothat,inthiscase,SeanSnyder, hangs on a top-down desire that the project in question benefit a nebulous ‘wider community’, how better head. When fundingforinitiatives within arteducation and,toanextent, public spacesincreasingly the Fruitmarket Gallery andEdinburgh Collegeof Art, andyou’llmostlikelygetawearyshakeofthe school, appendthefact that curator Judith Schwartzbart has spentthelastyearascurator/researcher at Mention thisthree-person show’s thematic lasso--’art as research’--to someone whoworksinanart At thesametimesomewhereelseFruitmarketGalleryEdinburgh December17toFebruary19 By Herbert,Martin At theSameTime SomewhereElse Herbert, Martin.«AttheSameTime Somewhere Else»,Art Monthly, No.February, 293, 2006. https://www.questia.com/magazine/1G1-159863646/at-the-same-time-somewhere-else Galerie Chantal Crousel Judith Schwarzbart isaresearcheratEdinburgh Collegeof Art newspaper. However,adopting astreetwise stancedoesnotnecessarilyguaranteechallenging art. postcard’ projectionoffers twosidestothe story, butkeepsthemseparate,leavingtheirdifferences unresolved. the artist)againstamateurfootagetakenbyan American tourist.Hangingsuspendedinspace,this‘oversized Space (Pyongyang)’,adouble-sidedvideoprojection placesaNorthKoreanpropagandafilm(reworkedby eventually toadesireforgatedcommunities. images promoteasenseofinsecurityandillustratean unmanageableconflictbetweenraceandclass,leading newspapers andjournals,juxtaposingthemwithquotes fromurbantheoryand American advertising. These is alsoexplored.SusanneJerkuff’s ‘Shortlybeforetheriotsstarted’ drawsonphotoshootsfrominternational series makesuplookalike conventions organised by theartist. A more sinister sidetocontemporary media culture festivals, paradesandbeachclubs.Othersexaminethecultureindustry. MattheuLaurette’s iconic‘Déjàvu’ institutions. The pieceasks,‘Isthisurge forlarge visitor numbersaffecting artinstitutionsnegatively?’ and sodirectlypointstothequantitativecriteriaofsuccessfailure,whichisincreasinglyappliedart ‘Number of Visitors’ byJensHaaningandSuperflex,alarge digitalcounter, displaysthecurrentvisitcount, the mediaanditspopulistcampaigns. popular entertainment,avantgardevstrivialityandhonestyirony, havecollapsedandsoprovide a critiqueof artistic approachesandissues,indoingsoplayswiththenotionthattraditionaldichotomieslikerealism vs direct democracyandcollaborativeeffort, thisexhibitionofmorethan40contributorsmultipliesintoamyriad sphere ofart’.Referringnotonlytoartists’ consciousnessofstyleandaesthetics,butalsotoutopiandreams desires thatcharacterisepopulistpoliticsarenotnecessarilyseparatefromtheonesfindexpressionin the populist politics,atleastnotdirectly. Instead,thepointofdepartureisclaimedtobeidea‘thateffects and Although theexhibitiontitlecatchesatermtopicalincontemporarypolitics,itneithercriticisesnorcelebrates CAC (Contemporary Art Centre), Vilnius Populism Populism

Adopting apopuliststrategy itself,thisambitiousexhibitionhasaguidewhich mimics atabloid Sean Snyderlooksatrepresentationfromanotherangle. In‘T Inside, someworksfocusonpopularfestivalculture—OttoSnoek’ The linkbetweenpopularandpopulistisaddressedatonce,intheentrancehallofartcentre. Schwarzbart, Judith. «Populism», MAPMagazine, MAP#2,September 20,2006. http://mapmagazine.co.uk/9840/populism-vilnius/ wo ObliqueRepresentationsofaGiven s photographssnapcrowdsatvarious Galerie Chantal Crousel Demos, T.J.. IstanbulBiennal.Various “9thinternational Venues”. ArtForum, November 10, NOV.foc.ISTNBL.qxp 10/11/051:42AMPage153 T. J.DEMOS VARIOUS VENUES BIENNIAL TIONAL ISTANBUL 9TH INTERNA- artworks, many by artists from Turkey or by its ongoing bid for membership in the underscored interest is dramatically cal ing as a crucial pressure point of geopoliti- whosestand- set withinabordercountry IstanbulBiennial, to the9thInternational response issues that must frame a critical institutions. But these are the pressing ated by a limitless range of actors and motives andcre- plex andcontradictory exhibitions areconstructedthroughcom- Of course, such solidarity? international itating substantive exchange and forms of but toincreaseoursensitivitythem,facil- in contactordernotto diversification, placing disparate cultures bitions operate positively as engines of ment? Conversely, how might these exhi- dollars and foreignattract tourist invest- andthereby ness throughculturalcapital quick fix to generate marketable unique- vehicle for a city’s self-promotion——as a How mightthebiennialfunctionasa quent onslaught of corporate imperialism? order totenderthegroundfor thesubse- in earlier avant-garde tropes of exoticism) playing on ence in far-flung places (often experi- elite consumer goods and rarified creating a market of tional gentrification, does the biennial act as a force of transna- still remain unanswered: To what degree globalization in art, a number of questions evolution of nials thatattendsthecurrent In the face of the remarkable glut of bien- Art Center,was tocommission Istanbul’s Platform Garanti Contemporary Eindhoven, andVasif Kortun, directorof Esche, director of the Van Abbemuseum in articulatedby cocurators Charles carefully Venice,say, Berlin,orSãoPaulo. Itsgoal, many othersthatonlyhappen tobein, setting, asdo toitsgeographical trarily biennial was distinct for not to be mindlessly advanced. cause a problem to be addressed rather than a biennial’s paradigm of globalization as the greatest provocation wasthatitrecast successfully avoided theworst traps.Its and least, it posed its own queries skeptical provided clear-cut answers; but, at the very European Union.Not thatthebiennial Taking itsown cityas subject,this 2005, pp. 245-246. level relating arbi- differences and select the show was held at seven venues in the location anddiscursivelocation entity. To this of Istanbul’surban planningorrecovering accounts results, whether offering critical and future. The Istanbul, bothits history works addressingtheinner-cityrealityof initiative thatledtomany documentary anywhere fromonetosix months——an half the participants residencies lasting biennial, emergedinanew light. flavor.orientalist Istanbul,thanksto this ing theseductive romanticism of thecity’s awhitewashedTurkeyricating orexploit- fab- campaign PR This wasnocelebratory And they did. undercurrents. authoritarian emerging democraticinstitutions and wealth of abject poverty, andthegrit Islamic empire, spaces of ostentatious between Western secular state and Eastern citycomposedofcontradictions: dustrial everyday conditionsofIstanbulasapostin- sites. Visitors were meant to confront the and all-too-easilyoverwhelming——historical ofawe-inspiring——Sultanahmet district apartmentblocks,instead ofthe century warehouses and crumbling nineteenth- trial Galata, whereonewould findoldindus- regions of Beyoglucity’s modern and tively as being split between real the cityofIstanbul,understoodprovoca- areas, that wouldsurrounding reflect on directive wasadvancedby offering roughly This page,clockwisefromtopleft: Opposite page,top:SeanSnyder, On the curatorial level,On thecuratorial thissite-sensitive to Safiye Behar Safiye to , 2005.Installationview,DenisPalaceApartments,Istanbul. Solmaz Shahbazi, The Site The urban , 2004–2005,oneofaseriesphotographs.Bottom:SeanSnyder, end,

Tam Size Göre Göre Size Tam

cal inhabitants, werecal mixed. But among suppressed information on its former radi-

diaries, photographs, and furniture——ofdiaries, a structed theflat——down toheroriginal Behar, 2005, in which the artist recon- Blum’s bluntmemorial ingly invisible. LesssuccessfulwasMichael place wherethepoor are renderedincreas- meaning ofcitizenshipandcommunity ina interviewees whoquestionthe academic offers biting analysis by the artist and her parks and golf courses, while a voice-over landscaped able traipsing around carefully stores,withtheyoung andfashion- cery gyms and gourmet gro- fitted with private complexes video depicts new multistory mobile classthatemergedinthe’90s.The comfort for andsecurity anupwardly of gatedcommunities,areaselegant theevery- to confront meant were Visitors video the standouts was Solmaz Shahbazi’s Istanbul asapostindus- conditionsof day You), 2005, which of contradictions. citycomposed trial Tam SizeGöre(Perfectly Suited for (Perfectly SuitedforYou),2005,twostillsfromachannelcolorvideoinstallation. documents thegrowth Halil Altindere, A Tribute toSafiye Miss Turkey Miss , 2005,stillfromacolorvideo,6minutes30seconds. Untitled (Iraq) Untitled a lived process mediating between a real where globalization was encountered as as a relay between and globality, locality ambitions: Theorganizersposited Istanbul this was a sign of the exhibition’s complex diversifying itsconceptionof site——and essentialismorlimitedparochialismby cal avoid thepotentialdangersofgeographi- but alsoflirtedwithvapiddecorativeness. surfaces that rhymed with cheap design gold-and-silverartifice throughshimmering atinselly whichcaptured Silke Otto-Knapp, watercolor-and-gouache easelpaintingsof aesthetic approachestothecity,suchas the there wereficial gimmicks.Alternately, volleyball at a stoplight——that read as super- fare, or a group of young athletes playing downqueen wandering abusythorough- of humorous street interventions——a beauty TurkeyMiss , 2005,HalilAltindere’svideo mined to showcase Istanbul’s urban life was unevenness. Among other pieces deter- mon and account for the biennial’s extreme In fact,suchresponseswere notuncom- of eliciting formulaic responses to Istanbul. revealing the short-term residencies’ risk but undeveloped as artistic representation, withfascinatinghistory was saturated lar Turkey, Kemal Atatürk. Here, the work secu- ated impact on the father of modern who had an enlightening but underappreci- remarkable Jewish Marxist and feminist Yet overall the biennial managed to , 2003–2005,oneofaseriesphotographs. NOVEMBER 2005 Michael Blum, A Tribute A 245 NOV.foc.ISTNBL.qxp 10/11/051:42AMPage153 T. J.DEMOS VARIOUS VENUES BIENNIAL TIONAL ISTANBUL 9TH INTERNA- Art Center,wastocommission Istanbul’s Platform Garanti Contemporary Eindhoven, andVasif Kortun, directorof Esche, director of the Van Abbemuseum in articulatedby cocurators Charles carefully Venice,say, Berlin,orSãoPaulo. Itsgoal, many othersthatonlyhappentobe in, setting,asdo toitsgeographical trarily biennial was distinct for not to be mindlessly advanced. cause a problem to be addressed rather than a biennial’s paradigm of globalization as the greatest provocation wasthatitrecast successfully avoided theworst traps.Its and least, it posed its own queries skeptical provided clear-cut answers; but, at the very European Union.Not thatthebiennial by its ongoing bid for membership in the underscored interest is dramatically cal ing as a crucial pressure point of geopoliti- whosestand- set withinabordercountry IstanbulBiennial, to the9thInternational response issues that must frame a critical institutions. But these are the pressing ated by a limitless range of actors and motives andcre- plex andcontradictory exhibitions areconstructedthroughcom- Of course, such solidarity? international itating substantive exchange and forms of but toincreaseoursensitivitythem,facil- in contactordernotto diversification, placing disparate cultures bitions operate positively as engines of ment? Conversely, how might these exhi- dollars and foreignattract tourist invest- andthereby ness throughculturalcapital quick fix to generate marketable unique- vehicle for a city’s self-promotion——as a How mightthebiennialfunctionasa quent onslaught of corporate imperialism? order totenderthegroundfor thesubse- in earlier avant-garde tropes of exoticism) playing on ence in far-flung places (often experi- elite consumer goods and rarified creating a market of tional gentrification, does the biennial act as a force of transna- still remain unanswered: To what degree globalization in art, a number of questions evolution of nials thatattendsthecurrent In the face of the remarkable glut of bien- artworks, many by artists from Turkey or Taking itsown cityassubject,this level relating arbi- differences

and select Galerie Chantal Crousel Demos, T.J.. IstanbulBiennal.Various “9thinternational Venues”. ArtForum, November 10, the show was held at seven venues in the location anddiscursivelocation entity. To this of Istanbul’surban planningorrecovering accounts results, whether offering critical andfuture.The Istanbul, bothitshistory works addressingtheinner-cityrealityof initiative thatledtomany documentary anywhere fromonetosix months——an half the participants residencies lasting biennial, emergedinanew light. flavor.orientalist Istanbul,thanksto this ing theseductive romanticism ofthe city’s awhitewashedTurkeyricating orexploit- fab- campaign PR This wasnocelebratory And they did. undercurrents. authoritarian emerging democraticinstitutions and wealth of abject poverty, and the grit Islamic empire, spaces of ostentatious between Western secular state and Eastern citycomposedofcontradictions: dustrial everyday conditionsofIstanbulasapostin- sites. Visitors were meant to confront the and all-too-easilyoverwhelming——historical ofawe-inspiring——Sultanahmet district apartmentblocks,insteadofthe century warehouses and crumbling nineteenth- trial Galata, whereonewould findoldindus- regions of Beyoglucity’s modern and tively as being split between real the cityofIstanbul,understoodprovoca- areas, that wouldsurrounding reflect on directive was advancedby offering roughly This page,clockwisefromtopleft: Opposite page,top:SeanSnyder, On the curatorial level,On thecuratorial thissite-sensitive to Safiye Behar Safiye to , 2005.Installationview,DenisPalaceApartments,Istanbul. Solmaz Shahbazi, The Site The urban , 2004–2005,oneofaseriesphotographs.Bottom:SeanSnyder, end, Tam Size Göre Göre Size Tam cal inhabitants, werecal mixed. But among suppressed information on its former radi- You), 2005, which of contradictions. citycomposed trial Istanbul asapostindus- conditions of day theevery- to confront meant were Visitors video the standouts was Solmaz Shahbazi’s diaries, photographs, and furniture——ofdiaries, a structed theflat——down toheroriginal Behar, 2005, in which the artist recon- Blum’s bluntmemorial ingly invisible. LesssuccessfulwasMichael place wherethepoorare renderedincreas- meaning ofcitizenshipandcommunity ina interviewees whoquestionthe academic offers biting analysis by the artist and her parks and golf courses, while a voice-over landscaped able traipsing around carefully stores,withtheyoung andfashion- cery gyms and gourmet gro- fitted with private complexes video depicts new multistory mobile classthatemergedinthe’90s.The comfort for and security anupwardly of gatedcommunities,areaselegant Tam SizeGöre(Perfectly Suited for (Perfectly SuitedforYou),2005,twostillsfromachannelcolorvideoinstallation. 2005, pp. 245-246. documents thegrowth Halil Altindere, A Tribute toSafiye Miss Turkey Miss , 2005,stillfromacolorvideo,6minutes30seconds. Untitled (Iraq) Untitled a lived process mediating between a real where globalization was encountered as as a relay between and globality, locality ambitions: Theorganizersposited Istanbul this was a sign of the exhibition’s complex diversifying itsconceptionofsite——and essentialismorlimitedparochialismby cal avoid thepotential dangersofgeographi- but alsoflirtedwithvapiddecorativeness. surfaces that rhymed with cheap design gold-and-silverartifice throughshimmering atinselly whichcaptured Silke Otto-Knapp, watercolor-and-gouache easelpaintingsof aesthetic approachestothecity,such as the there wereficial gimmicks. Alternately, volleyball at a stoplight——that read as super- fare, or a group of young athletes playing downqueen wandering abusythorough- of humorous street interventions——a beauty TurkeyMiss , 2005,HalilAltindere’svideo mined to showcase Istanbul’s urban life was unevenness. Among other pieces deter- mon and account for the biennial’s extreme In fact,suchresponseswere notuncom- of eliciting formulaic responses to Istanbul. revealing the short-term residencies’ risk but undeveloped as artistic representation, withfascinatinghistory was saturated lar Turkey, Kemal Atatürk. Here, the work secu- ated impact on the father of modern who had an enlightening but underappreci- remarkable Jewish Marxist and feminist Yet overall the biennial managed to , 2003–2005,oneofaseriesphotographs. NOVEMBER 2005 Michael Blum, A Tribute A 245 Galerie Chantal Crousel Demos, T.J.. IstanbulBiennal.Various “9thinternational Venues”. ArtForum, November 10, NOV.foc.ISTNBL.qxp 10/11/051:43AMPage154 246 ment the famous spider hole, the piece grainy blown-up photographsthatdocu- of final hiding place. Presenting a series discoverysationalized of Saddam Hussein’s resentations ofIraqby focusing onthesen- 2004–2005, which investigates media rep- photo-text assemblies, including forces that define it. ence of urban space to more abstract flow through it, relating the lived experi- power,contours as capital, and people attempt toconceptualizeacity’sshifting incomplete, an amazing, if necessarily economic modulations. The piece offers existence accordingtoarangeofsocio- times zany, trace the city’s oscillating dimensional models, schematic and some- the floor, while several different three- and architecture magazines laid out on celebrated in a spread of recent design sive development, which is variously mostly negative effects of Berlin’s explo- contemplating the document critics Videos reunification. since the country’s paths of migration in the German capital spaces and the fluctuating and private that mapsthetransformations ofpublic and Jesko Fezer’s sprawlinginstallation , 2005,AxelJohn Wieder (Berlin) Conditions was ison and contrast. Exemplary back tothecitythroughimplicitcompar- Palestine, inevitably drawing attention Jakarta, or Israel/ Istanbul, such as Iraq, when artwork engagedcontextsoutside coalesced particularly wellsophistication this modeling of site, and the biennial’s by it. Numerous selections advanced discourses that determine or are inflected it, between and the one’s actual location place andtheforces thatmove through Another favorite was Sean Snyder’s ARTFORUM Left: Sean Snyder, Untitled (Iraq) Untitled 2005, pp. 245-246. The Site, , 2003–2005, Urban one ofaseriesphotographs,dimensionsvariable.Right: repetition, inevitably mischaracterizing repetition, inevitably mischaracterizing ously oscillates between and variation language, neutrally represented, humor- Fox, and other mainstream sources. The theBBC, culledfromCNN, descriptions, excerptsofnews counterposes written the theater of war. While the voice-over conventions ofphotojournalistic in cation sound track, explores the appli- analytical cial and war footage mixed with Snyder’s commer- second, a video of appropriated mission perceives Iraq. The how the US but damning insofar as they catalogue scope, clichéd portraits of locals——a rifle seen through the crosshairs of landscapes lifes weapons, of confiscated desolate websites. The scenes are prosaic——still downloaded by the artist from file-sharing snapped by a soldier or contractor and photographs from the war zone, each of amateur, postcard-size presents a grid Sheraton, Toyota,, 2005. The first Mars 2005, andinhisvideo in Snyder’scaptured total control of its object, is brilliantly perception, each instrumentalized in the power and media dominance. a site defined by unilateral acts of military and discourse intersect at where territory the analysis to the transnational dimension, updates the analog domain to the internet, of stereotypes, Snyder’s project, expanding joinintheproduction linguistic description tual examinations of how photographic and Recalling Martha Rosler’s concep- historic descends into personal-interest story. into newsworthy events, as geopolitics mercial transformation of banal objects of which dramatizes a com- identification Saddam’s last possessions——the obsessive The convergence and media of military Untitled (Iraq) Casio, Seiko, , 2003– Istanbul BiennialposterspastedupbySuperflexandJensHaaningCopenhagen,2005. predicts ominously that the military will predicts ominously that the military included artists——and mostly pathetic, hard- number——among the work of fifty-three The publicartprojectswere onlyfour in which were safely contained behind walls. of artworks,of the majority nearly all of conventional object-based appearance oncilable zones highlighted the rather lack of mediation between the two irrec- tion and self-estrangement, the curious city, whichhopefullypromptsintrospec- of manual labor in a developingdrudgery sions between genteel art-viewing and the ence the sometimes-gaping cultural divi- me. But while making the visitor experi- unintended, asoneofthecuratorsinformed tered acultureshock——which wasnot one knows. of civilizations. How this will end, no an eager aspirant, in apotential clash Turkey, the Muslim-majority implicating entrance into the global order, thereby paid (involuntarily, of course) fortry coun- a neighboring the tremendous price the Magnificent——was fortuitous: Itrecalls sultan Süleyman the sixteenth-century mosque of the famous Islamic conqueror—— whose window overlooks thedistant That Snyder’s work was hung in a room field. tles on a territorial-informational strapped to machine gun, even now bat- who, with digital video camera warrior soldier as the new cyber- shows a US for direct mass consumption, the video recording and editing its own images functions, soon subsumejournalistic day life. Exiting the venues, one encoun- exhibition venues andthespacesofevery- bility ofthedisjunctionssetupbetween trouble was in its dependence on the legi- Where the curatorial strategy ran into Where the curatorial ment of History of Art at University College London. T. J.Demosisanewlyappointedlecturerin theDepart- I neous potential benefits and risks. making one all too aware of the simulta- cial exchange and cultural differentiation, struggle between the forces of commer- positioned globalization as an ongoing of Turkish culture. The work incisively munity throughthepublicrecognition sense ofbelongingwithinanexilecom- and diverted a itspromotiontocatalyze edged the show as a commercial venture acknowl- the artists critically campaign, the biennial’s advertisingappropriating Istanbul beyond Turkey’s borders. By metonymican intriguing act, projected to a particular geography, this work, in conceive of nationalidentityasrooted art.Challengingthosewho international admirable participation in the world of phobia andracismby proclaimingTurkey’s Denmark andtocounterDanishxeno- grants who have taken up residence in of Turkey’s image in the eyes of its emi- Copenhagen, aimingtoelevatethevalue posters placedthroughoutthestreetsof officialdisplay biennial of one thousand This was Superflex and Jens Haaning’s but itwasnoteven inthecity. located excessive “en so-called route” works—— and biennial’s uninterestingly theatrical without following the examples of the did succeed in addressing public space relationality of its site. Still, one project otherwise-provocative exploration of the work was inconsistent with the biennial’s into pieces. This decision to cloister art- which fell over upon installation and broke of Michelangelo’s David , golden replica worst was Serkan Özkaya’s thirty-foot-tall to-find distractions.Thespectacularly Photo: Superflex. NOV.foc.ISTNBL.qxp 10/11/051:43AMPage154 246 ment the famous spider hole, the piece grainy blown-up photographsthatdocu- of final hiding place. Presenting a series discoverysationalized of Saddam Hussein’s resentations ofIraqby focusing onthesen- 2004–2005, which investigates media rep- photo-text assemblies, including forces that define it. ence of urban space to more abstract flow through it, relating the lived experi- power,contours as capital, and people attempt toconceptualizeacity’sshifting incomplete, an amazing, if necessarily economic modulations. The piece offers existence accordingtoarangeofsocio- times zany, trace the city’s oscillating dimensional models, schematic and some- the floor, while several different three- and architecture magazines laid out on celebrated in a spread of recent design sive development, which is variously mostly negative effects of Berlin’s explo- contemplating the document critics Videos reunification. since the country’s paths of migration in the German capital spaces and the fluctuating and private that mapsthetransformations ofpublic and Jesko Fezer’s sprawlinginstallation , 2005,AxelJohn Wieder (Berlin) Conditions was ison and contrast. Exemplary back tothecitythroughimplicitcompar- Palestine, inevitably drawing attention Jakarta, or Israel/ Istanbul, such as Iraq, when artwork engagedcontextsoutside coalesced particularly wellsophistication this modeling of site, and the biennial’s by it. Numerous selections advanced discourses that determine or are inflected it, between and the one’s actual location place andtheforces thatmove through Another favorite was Sean Snyder’s ARTFORUM Left: Sean Snyder, Untitled (Iraq) Untitled The Site, , 2003–2005,oneofaseriesphotographs,dimensionsvariable.Right: Urban

Galerie repetition, inevitably mischaracterizing repetition, inevitably mischaracterizing ously oscillates between and variation language, neutrally represented, humor- Fox, and other mainstream sources. The theBBC, culledfromCNN, descriptions, excerptsofnews counterposes written the theater of war. While the voice-over conventions ofphotojournalistic in cation sound track, explores the appli- analytical cial and war footage mixed with Snyder’s commer- second, a video of appropriated mission perceives Iraq. The how the US but damning insofar as they catalogue scope, clichéd portraits of locals——a rifle seen through the crosshairs of landscapes lifes weapons, of confiscated desolate websites. The scenes are prosaic——still downloaded by the artist from file-sharing snapped by a soldier or contractor and photographs from the war zone, each of amateur, postcard-size presents a grid Sheraton, Toyota,, 2005. The first Mars 2005, andinhisvideo in Snyder’scaptured total control of its object, is brilliantly perception, each instrumentalized in the power and media dominance. a site defined by unilateral acts of military and discourse intersect at where territory the analysis to the transnational dimension, updates the analog domain to the internet, of stereotypes, Snyder’s project, expanding joinintheproduction linguistic description tual examinations of how photographic and Recalling Martha Rosler’s concep- historic descends into personal-interest story. into newsworthy events, as geopolitics mercial transformation of banal objects of which dramatizes a com- identification Saddam’s last possessions——the obsessive

The convergence and media of military Chantal Crousel Demos, T.J.. IstanbulBiennal.Various “9thinternational Venues”. ArtForum, November 10, Untitled (Iraq) Casio, Seiko, , 2003– Istanbul BiennialposterspastedupbySuperflexandJensHaaningCopenhagen,2005. predicts ominously that the military will predicts ominously that the military included artists——and mostly pathetic, hard- number——among the work of fifty-three The publicartprojectswere onlyfour in which were safely contained behind walls. of artworks,of the majority nearly all of conventional object-based appearance oncilable zones highlighted the rather lack of mediation between the two irrec- tion and self-estrangement, the curious city, whichhopefullypromptsintrospec- of manual labor in a developingdrudgery sions between genteel art-viewing and the ence the sometimes-gaping cultural divi- me. But while making the visitor experi- unintended, asoneofthecuratorsinformed tered acultureshock——which wasnot one knows. of civilizations. How this will end, no an eager aspirant, in a potential clash Turkey, the Muslim-majority implicating entrance into the global order, thereby paid (involuntarily, of course) fortry coun- a neighboring the tremendous price the Magnificent——was fortuitous: Itrecalls sultan Süleyman the sixteenth-century mosque of the famous Islamic conqueror—— whose window overlooks thedistant That Snyder’s work was hung in a room field. tles on a territorial-informational strapped to machine gun, even now bat- who, with digital video camera warrior soldier as the new cyber- shows a US for direct mass consumption, the video recording and editing its own images functions, soon subsumejournalistic day life. Exiting the venues, one encoun- exhibition venues andthespacesofevery- bility ofthedisjunctionssetupbetween trouble was in its dependence on the legi- Where the curatorial strategy ran into Where the curatorial 2005, pp. 245-246. ment of History of Art at University College London. T. J.Demosisanewlyappointedlecturerin theDepart- I neous potential benefits and risks. making one all too aware of the simulta- cial exchange and cultural differentiation, struggle between the forces of commer- positioned globalization as an ongoing of Turkish culture. The work incisively munity throughthepublicrecognition sense ofbelongingwithinanexilecom- and diverted a itspromotiontocatalyze edged the show as a commercial venture acknowl- the artists critically campaign, the biennial’s advertisingappropriating Istanbul beyond Turkey’s borders. By metonymican intriguing act, projected to a particular geography, this work, in conceive ofnationalidentityasrooted art.Challengingthosewho international admirable participation in the world of phobia andracismby proclaiming Turkey’s Denmark andtocounterDanishxeno- grants who have taken up residence in of Turkey’s image in the eyes of its emi- Copenhagen, aimingtoelevatethevalue posters placedthroughoutthestreetsof officialdisplay biennial of one thousand This was Superflex and Jens Haaning’s but itwasnoteven inthecity. located excessive “en so-called route” works—— and biennial’s uninterestingly theatrical without following the examples of the did succeed in addressing public space relationality of its site. Still, one project otherwise-provocative exploration of the work was inconsistent with the biennial’s into pieces. This decision to cloister art- which fell over upon installation and broke of Michelangelo’s David, golden replica worst was Serkan Özkaya’s thirty-foot-tall to-find distractions.Thespectacularly Photo: Superflex. Galerie Chantal Crousel Lütticken, Sven. “Reviews: SeanSnyder. DeAppel”. ArtForum, December 16,2004,p. 104. JAN.reviews(NEW)(all) 12/16/0412:02PMPage194 Snyder forsometimeinvolvesAmerican Japan; here,aseriesofphotographs shows military installationsabroad,especially in with clandestine footage might have been. fascinating than a journalistic exposé made nevertheless more instructive and more hysterically moving mass ornaments——is production——detached panoramas and position oftwocontrolledformsimage of the country’s underside, Snyder’s celebrate Stalin’s birthday. Showing little Riefenstahl, and Disney had teamed up to parades and rallies that look as if Griffith, of the time we see images of enormous a certain “official” aura as well: For much not surprisingly) his footage largely has track North Korea keeps of foreign visitors, mentary. Ironically (but, given the close comes withasoundtrack,includingcom- shot with a handheld video camera and capital, the engineer’s footage was clearly series of picture-perfect views of a modern Fischli and Weiss, turning Pyongyang into a still images that fade into each other à la turned the official material into a series of Korean nuclear plant. Whereas Snyder has was working, curiously enough, on a North 1995 by an American hydroengineer who other side presents amateur footage shot in about Pyongyang are projected, while the taken from official North Korean films 2001–. On one side of the screen, images of the series “Bucharest——Pyongyang,” the two-sidedvideoprojectionthatispart footage intheformofverbalrhetoric. blance of meaning usually added to such database ofvisualclichéslackingthesem- umph of visibility creates blankness, a footage wasmeanttoillustrate.Thetri- parade, withnoclues astothestories zooms, and aerial shots pass in a strange TV news programs; static takes, pans, establishing shotsandsequencefrom Analepsis, 2004,isasilentmontageofre- determination tofrustratesuchhopes. latest solo exhibition demonstrated his with clear-cut statements and slogans. His Snyder is sometimes expected to come up ization and contemporary urbanism, Sean Because his works often deal with global- DE APPEL SEAN SNYDER REVIEWS 194 catering totheair basethere. Shotin Japan 2004 Street (KadenaAirBase),Okinawa City, base inOkinawa,while the video the seedynightspotsoutsideMarine were fragments of larger projects, such as AMSTERDAM Another projectthathaspreoccupied Some oftheworksshownatDeAppel ARTFORUM shows similarestablishments Gate 2 juxta- truth lies. In the film, Bäckström depends the double entendre: 2004, elicits Miriam Bäckström’sfinenewfilm IASPIS MIRIAM BÄCKSTRÖM things hidden. bility may above all be employed to keep embedded journalism, techniques of visi- forces thesuggestionthatineraof cessible to the camera eye, Snyder rein- that are to a greater or lesser degree inac- some sense. Repeatedly focusing on areas activated and manipulated in order to make image library of Babel, which has to be that results in a meaningless database, an a kind of universal, all-seeing surveillance Some of his work provides a glimpse of the uses and limitations of representation. sentation of politics. Rather, he investigates damental sense than that of amere repre- purpose remains unclear. surveillance, but by whom and for what nonnarrative successionofshotssuggests behind the camera gaze——if anyone. The cism, Snyder raises the question of who is in usingthelanguageoftechno-romanti- noise buzzesinthebackground.However, white blanks,astreetlightblinks,thecity and light——illuminated billboards become McLuhanesque celebration of electricity One isoddlyreminded of DougAitken’s ghost townlargelydevoidofpeople. into astrangelylight,black-and-white infrared mode, this video turns the area STOCKHOLM Snyder’s work is political in a more fun- Sean Snyder, black-and-white photocopy,8 ——Sven Lütticken Urban Planning Documentation Planning Urban Rebecka, where 1 ⁄ 4 seven monthsoftheLoudscarryingon cinema veritédocumentarychronicling invention tions and answers are often set in a staccato actress.” To compound the ambiguity, ques as ism in a “behind-the-scenes film” (such genuine? Asked how she approaches real- a genuine performance or merely been become a conundrum. Has she turned in why leave the fiction at all?” everything’s I see the fiction as something authentic, ing, and by its end, when Hemse says, “If versational tides, some even cringe induc- relief in answers à la mode. But there is little comic that his interviewer ask his questions with interview where he stubbornly insisted This echoes Andy Warhol’s hilarious BBC underlining that her role in life is to act. say,” thus pulling the plug on realism while Hemse explains, “if you tell me what to a conceit. “I can answer your questions,” documentary form. has become an acceptable, if ambiguous chronicling reality, of those earlier conversations. Rather than at ascreenplayorreconstructed account ing thequestionofwhethersheislooking sionally refers toitspagesoncamera,rais- during itspreparation,andtheactressocca- Bäckström metwithHemseseveraltimes of thefactthatthereisascriptfor their middle-class life. Yet no secret is made TV show, that Swedish actress.Itisperhapsnotsoodd decrees to Rebecka Hemse, a renowned two minutesworthofquestionsand on aroutineinterviewstyletoputforty- x 11 Rebecka Bäckström’s nimble script begins with 3 ⁄ 4 Rebecka ". , 1998, Rebecka of truth where “staging the real” An AmericanFamily,the1973 ), Hemse is blunt: “I play an calls to mind the first reality- . The film pulses on con- Rebecka succeeds at the Rebecka; Miriam Bäckström, - can give in to it. that it is blistering. If you are lucky, you in andoutofdifferenttruthssoquickly tion of real drama with Rebecka Bäckström has created a significant inven- rific session of torture. And Hemse weeps. words fall like the overture to some hor- speck of emotion: “Here you cry.” The than when Bäckström says, without a ing is more unsettling or less expected Hemse could fall in love with her. But noth- ing effect, as when Bäckström inquires if are emotionally loaded zigzags of disquiet- further disappointment. off the actress’s dress——silently telegraphs film——reaching intotheframetopicklint obeys. Bäckström’ssingleappearanceinher with commands that are all the more intim unseen interloper, upstaging the camera been paid to Bäckström’s own role, as the carried off.Butcursoryattentionhas Hemse’s “character”——and it’s splendidly at creating irresolvable ambiguities within has been focused on Bäckström’s subtlety most open when Iam playing open.” never connectingwiththequestion:“I’m ever unguarded. Her answer ricochets, rhythm. Bäckström wonders if Hemse is are swift: “Go and do it properly.” Hemse her hairupagain,Bäckström’sreprimands tations, ashappenswhensheistoldtoput ever she falls short of Bäckström’s expec- hair down.” Hemse complies, but when- to state them. . . Be so kind and let your you a series of statements and I want you look when you eat. Eat this. . . . I’ll give you are in love. . .Iwant to see how you idating for being soft-spoken: “Look like

42-minute loop.Projectionview. Sprinkled throughouttheconversation

In Sweden,thereceptionof Rebecka , 2004, DVD withsound, ——Ronald Jones Rebecka that skirts - Galerie Chantal Crousel clothing worn byitsleader, Kim Jong-Il,ascouldberead inapressreleasefrom the World Economic Korea, which hascarefully cultivated the myth of isolation. Nothing leaks out, noteven the size of the geopolitical sandpit that seem to opposethe omnipresent changes. A good example of thisisNorth This dynamic image of the worldisconstituted via asystem-immanent exterior: static building blocks in history manytimesover withhisaggressiveforeignpolicies.6 at thespeedoflight–inkeepingwiththis,itis said thatGeorge W.has accelerated Bush the courseof world circulating inthecycle of massmedia, one thatsuggestsanewbeginning: on aglobalscaleand spectacle of shiftsandfusions,suchasoneperhapsseesonweather maps.5 Inbrief: an image of the on thedigital drawingboard,orlikerotating continents slidingintooneanother, involvedinatectonic assembled arbitrarily been have that mercury of masses fluid like seem units geopolitical make situation fallen apart into countless zones whereastate of emergency has been declared.3 Visual depictions of this the symptoms ofanewimage ofthe world. An image of the world that has putaside rough divisionsand whose increasing relevance does notsomuch impose a caesura on the economy of attention, as represent is beingwagedwithanenormousdeployment of troops. Placesthat are distributed all over theglobe and against which terrorist attacks have been directed, as well as peripheral regions in which the war onterror places »popular« less and years, several for smouldering been have wars which in countries »famous« there is Iraq, which is about to face an invasion by the United States of America. In addition, there are less place of terror. There are numerous locations in the world that are being treated as »hot spots«. First of all, Ambivalent signs in ambivalent times. For, in January 2003,it is not only North Koreathat is seen as a on Remote-TV showsKimJong-Il’s kingdomasadesirable placetobe. while the communist nation is revealing itself as an aggressive nuclear power, the »North Korea Special« pictures of North Korea that are at present circulating all over the world via the channels of mass media: the of start the at 1990s and,curiouslyenough,already seem anachronistic. Imagesthatstandinprecarious contrast to the taken were that Korea North from pictures official are these course, Of metropolis. people goingforawalkintheinnercity, etc..Picturesthat show theNorthKoreancapital as agleaming enliven spacious backdrops: radiant flower beds in front of imposing socialist buildings, happy groups of Pyongyang ForeverinMyMemory«,whichrichred,brightyellow, deepblueandshimmering green tourist in the North Korean capital, then long sequences from the DPRK1 documentary film »Changes in US a of pictures video blurred see plays. can then one and first, wants At he place the to winds through, Snyder isstanding at a video mixing desk. Infrontofhim are tapes from NorthKorea,whichhelooks floor,fourth the on Sean up artist set US internet-TVbeen the an has where studio Museum, Film the In January 19, 2003,Potsdam Square, Berlin. The Sony Center is glowing in the midday light, the air is cool. Woznicki, Krystian. «Embedded Pyongyang. AmericanartistSeanSnyder’s NorthKorea.», of reconnaissance

American artistSeanSnyder’s reconaissanceofNorthKorea http://www.springerin.at/dyn/heft_text.php?textid=1445&lang=en Embedded Pyongyang Springerin Hefte1,2004. Krystian Woznicki Galerie Chantal Crousel a technique that could also be called »jump cut« and creates an effect that Jan Verwoert describes as of pictures Verwoertassembles describes Synder Sean installations, and Jan publications series, photo his of that many »In follows: effect an creates and cut« »jump called be also could that technique a connections betweenseeminglydisparate points: and whichstandoutprimarily forthewaytheyshow and arranged it. This gave rise toseveral montages, which Snyder haspresented in verydifferent contexts he looked for patterns, common typological characteristics and semiotic relationships. Then he organized The material accumulated in the course of Synder’s research was finally subjected to a structural analysis: claimed tohavethelargest archiveofbooks,CDsandvideosoutsideNorthKorea.«13 hung abovethetelevision set. He hadalready been visiting North Koreatwice a year for 15years,and years old.Hisappartment looked likethat of aNorthKorean.PortraitsKimJong-IlandIl-Sung [Berliner VerkehrsbetriebeBVG the with 42 driver about bus authority], former transport calm Berlin = Snyder press. Korean North official notes: »We arranged a meeting with one of the organizersthe in Neukölln. At the door I met a very friendly,from notice some received even had exhibition This (1997). Books« and Culture »Korean about library Düsseldorf the in organized had enthusiasts radio two that exhibition an to attention his drew who University Humboldt the at Studies Korean of professor a met Finally,States. United he the as well as Korea South in research doing even time, long a for way this in which enabled him to reconnoitre the country from thisseemingly omnipotent point of view. Heworked Documents thatallowdirectviewsbehindthecurtain. Inaddition,theartistcollected satellite images, him startoutonhistrip:accountsofjourneys,amateur videosandwebsitesaboutthecountryinEnglish. mass media to keep alive the myth of isolation, Snyder hasdiscovered other sources ofinformation to let As well as the official representations of the country and the images that have been put into circulation by physical encounterwiththeactualplace12,butisrealpurposeofendeavour. tourist sites.«11 Sothisisa»journeyinone’s head«thatisnotintendedsolelytohelpprepareforareal, [such] on ›gaze‹ to people allow reality virtual and Internet the »Television,CD-ROM, Videos,home: stereotypes. As a post-touristic destination, it can be reached at any time without having to leave one’s Remote TV describedatthestartofthisarticle, it appearsasextremely accessible, beyondthecirculating In Snyder’s work,thispictureofNorthKoreaisgraduallydustedoff. in theinfo-intervention As on our time. tolerates cannibalism reinforce the image of NorthKoreaasaplace that is notofthisworldand brings the orientalistic term »stone-age communism« to bear, while his accounts of a »monster« that even North Korea10,PierreRigoulot,whoisconsideredoneoftheleadingEuropeanexpertsonFar East, deprived child isusedtomysticize North Koreaasaneccentric place. For example, in hisrecent book on the multispolishuptheirimagebymeansofsuchactions,thissometimescolonially coded imageofthe promised 200,000soccerballs. This offer wassponsoredbyagroupofmultinational companies.«9 While well!<, as soccer play children Korean North the >Let like slogans with that, campaign charity a from advertisements Times«carried >Financial closer,World the 2002 drew the Championship »As identity: As SeanSnyderobserves,thischaracteristic is exploited byglobalplayersforthecreation of theirbrand curtain.«8 Butthemythofclosednationismaintainedjustaseffectively bythe West. a through seen car. Pyongyang the in or hotel the in guests their see to prefer who officials friendly the also but route, pre-defined a with limousines Mercedes the only not wait lobby the of front »In senses: hosts andthechoreographyofvisitors’ programmetookontheaspectofakindstraitjacket for the barrier. In a recent account of a trip there, for instance, one could read how the attentive presence of the Forum.7 Even those who have fought their way to North Korea cannot penetrate this impermeable info- Woznicki, Krystian. «Embedded Pyongyang. AmericanartistSeanSnyder’s NorthKorea.», of reconnaissance http://www.springerin.at/dyn/heft_text.php?textid=1445&lang=en Springerin Hefte1,2004. Galerie Chantal Crousel told. Since then the President had been photographed receiving a number of emissaries. ›Weemissaries. of know number now a receiving photographed been had President the then Since told. was he information,‹ ›That’sclassified asked. he size?‹ ›What coat. leather a perhaps told, was and gift Korea andwastoldhemight meet the PresidentinPyongyang.Heasked whatwouldbeanappropriate (http://www.weforum. 2003, January 25 org): »The Mongolian Prime Minister said that Davos, when he was Head of Parliament he was invited to Clash«, North to End for Prospects Good Korea: »North 7 Twenty-firstthe Century, Knopf2003 of Geopolitics the and Policy Foreign U.S. Era: American the of End The Kupchan, A. Charles 6. Prigge, Berlin2003. Waltered. Hiroshima, Brasilia Auschwitz Bauhaus in: Spiel«, dem Weltauf »Die steht essay my See 5 2003. 4 See my essay »Das globale Übungsdorf« in: Virtuelle Welten – reale Gewalt, ed. Florian Rötzer, Norton, W.W.Munich &Company, Inc.,September 2003 3 Benjamin R. Barber, Fear’s Empire: War, Terrorism, andDemocracy in an Age ofInterdependence, 2 http://www.remote-tv.de 1 Abbreviation for theDemocraticPeople’s RepublicofKorea;inshort, NorthKorea. Translation: TimothyJones are patternsandthusalsoacertainorder. undergoes an adjustment. The dynamic chaos ofpermanent change is suddenlygiven a structure. There prejudices have their abode, but also where the journey takes place -, the conception of the world also sphere: while the myth of isolation fades inpeople’s heads–inother words, notonlythe place where the is nottobeunderstoodviaafactual relationship, but viaastructural relationship to theglobalsemiotic project Korea North his because Pyongyang« »embedded of theory artistic Snyder’s for footnotes most black market–channelsthatarenotmentioned in themythofclosedsociety. These factsareatthe countries and aid organizations and has knownfor a long time how to play a prominent role on the global to itssurroundings,becauseit,morethananyothercountryintheworld,relies on thesupportofother that it istheleast globalized country intheworld–isperhapsevenonemoststronglyconnected most afootnoteinthiscontext, like the fact that North Korea–asopposedtothe widely held assumption The factthatSnyder’s Pyongyang/Bucharest construction is indeedbasedonacultural transfer isat Korea, whichisbasednotleastonitsimaginedorascribeduniqueness,crumbles. up thetwocities, has itseffect even without mentioning anysources:themyth of anisolationist North mixing of moment confusing this experience, déja-vu The historian. a from confirmation need not does development as amodelforthereconstruction of Bucharestinthe1980s?ButSnyder’s artistic theory Ceausescu talk enthusiastically somewhere about his visit to Pyongyangand identify North Koreanurban the socialiststylewithoutregardtohumanscaleandsocialneeds. And didn’t theRomaniandictator The buildings inbothcities seem to possessthe same hereditary structure: pompous architecture built in Pyongyang andBucharest,whichSynder’s worksuggestsbypointing outarchitectonic relationships. between connection the certainly is continuities amazing most the of One continuities.«14 surprising by different urban landscapes. By connecting up distant places, he creates topologies that are characterized Woznicki, Krystian. «Embedded Pyongyang. AmericanartistSeanSnyder’s NorthKorea.», of reconnaissance http://www.springerin.at/dyn/heft_text.php?textid=1445&lang=en Springerin Hefte1,2004. Galerie Chantal Crousel 14 Jan Verwoert, »JumpCutCities«,in: Afterall, No.7,October2002. 13 SeanSnyder, Schweizer BerlinerGazette,5June2002. Helvetia, Pro Medien-Landschaft-Schweiz, Schanne, Kulturstiftung, 1994. Meier/Michael A. Werner See 12 1997, p.96-109. George Ritzer and Allan Liska, in: Touring Cultures, eds. Chris Rojek and John Urry, London, New YorkTourism«, Contemporary on Perspectives Complementary ›Post-Tourism‹. and »›McDisneyization‹ 11 2003. 10 PierreRigoulot,Nordkorea,Cologne 9 SeanSnyder, BerlinerGazette,5June2002. 8 Anne Schneppen,Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung,1February2004. what sizeheis,‹pointedout.« Woznicki, Krystian. «Embedded Pyongyang. AmericanartistSeanSnyder’s NorthKorea.», of reconnaissance http://www.springerin.at/dyn/heft_text.php?textid=1445&lang=en Springerin Hefte1,2004. Galerie Chantal Crousel premier étage estauniveaudesarbres estenelle-mêmeallégorique dutriomphefaux. et de deux maquettes. Ces éléments complémentaires sont utiles. Mais l’image d’une tour Eiffel dont le de 40 mètres de haut et un château fort. Il présente ses images flanquées de coupures de presse, de vidéos Snyder aphotographié ce chef-d’oeuvre de simulacre, qued’autresentourent, dont unetourEiffel réduite INDIQUER SANSDÉCRIRE Galeries à Paris.Deuxphotographes et un peintre, trois conceptions antithétiques pour banquerouteetempruntsfrauduleux. visité en compagnie du prince Paul deRoumanie et de sonpropriétaire - lequel a depuisété emprisonné seulement son ranch est une copie, mais une copie ratée. N’empêche : l’acteur Larry Hagman - JR - l’a à la télévision. N’étant jamais allé visiter l’original au Texas, il s’est trompé dans les dimensions : non épris de JR s’est fait bâtir à Slobodzia, dans la plaine danubienne, un ranch d’après celui qu’il avait vu la vraie vie capitaliste. Après lamort de Ceausescu,unmilliardaire roumain douteux particulièrement feuilleton Dallas, qui obtint unsuccèsprodigieux auprès detéléspectateurs qui pensaient découvrir soudain sujet parfait dans le genre accablant. Nicolae Ceaucescu avait autorisé la télévision roumaine à diffuser le : les enseignes McDonalds, les tours des cités, les échangeurs d’autoroute. Récemment, il a découvert un Sean Snyder, Américain établi àBerlinquiexposepourlapremière fois àParis,préfèreopérerparséries gigantisme neserait-ilpasunesolutiondefacilité? Bustamante cherche lui du côté de la couleur et du monumental. L’effet est garanti. Peut-être trop : le Errance sont la banalité transcendée par le noir et blanc, une abstraction figurative inoubliable. Jean-Marc l’attention. Faute de quoi on tombe vite dans le documentaire. Les photos de Raymond Depardon dans Un telexercice exige unecomposition tranchante, une intensité de lumière et decontrastesquiattirent », Bustamanteagitàl’inverse,cultivantlacontradiction,magnifiantbanalité. touristique s’épuiserait à éliminer tout élément trivial et actuel pour donnerdanslegenre«Japonéternel sont essentiels. Par leur hétérogénéité, ils font l’intérêt du paysage. Là où un photographe du genre 160 de large -, de sorte qu’il est facile de les étudier dans leurs moindres détails. Justement, ceux-ci ainsi que des tombeaux. Les images, en couleurs, sont tirées en très grand format - 240 cm de haut, voit qu’entre les immeubles, les poteaux électriques, les échafaudages. Une pelleteuse se fait admirer, pittoresque nivraimentséduisant.MêmequandleFuji Yama ouunebaiesontdanslechamp,onneles rendu au Japon. Sa manière de procéder n’y a pas changé : il découpe un rectangle dans un paysage ni Bustamante continue son inventaire du monde. Après avoir rôdé en Espagne, en Israël, en Suisse, il s’est Dagen, Philippe.Dagen, «Vrais paysages», etfaux LeMonde, December 12,2001. du paysage,documentairejusqu’àlapoésie Vrais etfauxpaysages DAGEN PHILIPPE Dagen, Philippe. «Vrais et faux paysages», Le Monde, December 12, 2001.

De cette conception du paysage à celle que développe Pierre Buraglio, la distance est immense. D’un côté des échantillons représentatifs du triste monde actuel, de l’autre une poétique du fragment et de l’ellipse. Il construit des paysages avec un ou deux tableautins, trois côtés d’un cadre qui devrait en compter quatre, de la sérigraphie, de la peinture à l’huile ; il y ajoute des souvenirs de Seurat ou de Cézanne ainsi que des allusions à l’histoire de l’abstraction ; et cependant, marque caractéristique de leur auteur, ces assemblages demeurent légers. Ils ont l’élégance de suggérer sans nommer, d’indiquer sans décrire.

Buraglio possède au plus haut degré l’art du point de suspension. A celui qui regarde ses oeuvres d’y introduire ce qu’il veut, ses propres souvenirs, ses références personnelles, ses fantaisies. Ce sont des pièges à sensations, largement ouverts, très efficaces bien qu’ils semblent bricolés avec trois fois rien. Un souffle d’air marin, une odeur de jardin ou de rivière, voilà ce qu’ils capturent : des impressions presque imperceptibles et néanmoins tenaces. Galerie Chantal Crousel Galerie Chantal Crousel Woznicki, Krystian. «Uneplanèteclimatisée. deSeanSnyder Entretien avec Krystian Woznicki», NU, TheLars lʼemplacement detouslesautresrestaurants delachaîne.Lesvilles quinepossèdent napperon enpapier reproduitparfoisun plandelaville,oumême du pays,avec (en ambassadeur).Lesrepas seprennentdansuncadrerelativementconfortable. Le lʼétablissement pourpousser leclientàentrer. Ronald McDonaldlʼaccueilleàlaporte rejoindre leMcDonaldplus proche.Lesymboledesarchesjaunesidentifie distances indiquelesdirections àsuivredanslaville,lʼaéroportousurlʼautoroute pour mondiale àquelqueskilomètres autourdufast-food.Unfléchageavecindicateur de aller dʼunrestaurantàlʼautre,avecunzoomquipermet depasserlʼéchelle annuels etpourlesétudesdefaisabilité.Sonsitefournit uncalculateurdʼitinérairepour technologie satellitaire.Cesinformationsluiservent pour lesbilanscomparatifs temps. IlsembleraitqueMcDonaldsoitlʼentreprisequi consommeleplusde S.S. :Lalogiquedelʼagencementdʼunfast-foodvise àlafonctionnalitéetaugainde son agencement. K.V. :Lefast-foodsignalequandmêmesadimensionplanétairedanslalogique de implantations locales. variantes architecturalesrévèlelacomplexitédesparamètresmisenjeudansles célibataires, etc.Lʼanalysedesparticularitésdelʼaménagementintérieuret Saoudite, ladispositiondestablespermetdeséparerhommesetfemmes,mariés des bâtimentshistoriques,chandeliers,vitrauxetmosaïques.En préoccupations culturellesetsonancragelocal. Au Portugal,McDonaldfaitrestaurer rural, soitunenormeuniverselle.Lesite Web deMcDonaldsouligneses peut représenter, soituneschématisation lisibledelʼenvironnementrégionalurbainou plupart dutemps)nelereflètentpastout.Danslesfast-foods,milieuartificielbâti galeries marchandes,etc.),auxespacesbâtisquireflètentleurenvironnementou(la de lasituationgéographique(aéroports,fast-foods,hôtelsdesgrandeschaînes, lieux depassagequifontpartiedeshabitudesetnevarientpasforcémentenfonction Sean Snyder:Jemesuisintéresséauxarchétypesdelʼarchitecturecommerciale, Krystian Woznicki : Vous avezbeaucouptravaillésurlesfast-foods. relève pasdelascience-fiction. dans notreenvironnementquotidienimmédiatsemblentindiquerquecescénarione une nouvelleculturepopulaireindiscutablementmondiale.Pourtant,certaineschoses projets écologiquesàlaplacedesdébatsgéopolitiques...letoutserépercutantdans planète climatisée,uneatmosphèreartificiellesystématiquementconditionnée,des convergence entrelesdomainesécologique,planétaireetspatial.Imaginezune culture populaire.Lasphérologie?Cʼestsansdoutelemeilleurmotpourdésignerla touchait auxfondementsmêmesdecequelʼonpourraitappelerlasphérologie avec SeanSnyder, jemesuisaperçuquesaréflexionsurlesutilisationsdelʼespace retenu monattention.Onacontinuéàserencontrerdansdesfast-foods.Enparlant prolongé à Tokyo, cʼestlaville,sonorganisation dynamiqueetspatiale,quiasurtout villes asiatiques,quirejoignaitmonexpériencepersonnelle:pendantséjour dʼAlexanderplatz àBerlin,cethiver[1999-2000],jʼaidécouvertsonattirancepourles sur lesphénomènesurbains.Lorsdenotrepremierrendez-vousdansunBur de plasticien,etcʼestunethématiquequelʼonretrouveaussisesétudesrecherches Sean SnyderestunartisteaméricainétabliàBerlin.Lʼarchitecturenourritsontravail Entretien deSeanSnyderavecKrystianWoznicki Une planèteclimatisée Issue, January, 2000. ger King Arabie Galerie Chantal Crousel Woznicki, Krystian. «Uneplanèteclimatisée. deSeanSnyder Entretien avec Krystian Woznicki», NU, TheLars autrement. objectif dedocumentssur unearchitectureobscuredontpersonneneseserait occupé infrastructure déglinguée. Jediraisquecetravailétaitunesortedʼarchivage non de peuplement.Ilnereste plusquedesfaçadesfuturistesdéfraîchiesetune second ordrequiavaientuneconceptionglobale du modedʼorganisation desnoyaux dans lesannées1950-1970.Laplupartdesimmeubles sontdusàdesarchitectesde jʼai photographiécertainsprototypesdebanlieues utopiquesconstruitsautourdeParis S.S. :Quelquefois,jʼaiutilisédescasparticuliers régionaux.Enfrance,parexemple, particulier régional? K.W. :Donc,vousavezévitédʼallertroploindanscequelʼonappelleraitlecas etc. magasins deproximité,lesgaleriesmarchandes,pavillons debanlieue,lesfastfoods, la façondontilsontintégrédescaractéristiquesrégionalesouvernaculaires.Les stéréotypes. Jemʼentiensauxarchétypescommerciauxdemonpasséaméricainetà de perception.Jenepensepasquemontravailautourduvoyageen sphère personnelle,maiscettepositionextérieureautoriseaussiunecertaineacuité S.S. :Ilfautêtreprudentquandonabordedeschosesquisontendehorsdenotre votre travailrangésouslarubriquedufétichismeexotique? K.W. :LʼAsieestdevenueaussiunespacedeprojection. Vous necraignezpasdevoir premier plan. que lamodernisation,lʼurbanisationetlesapplicationstechnologiquespassentau S.S. :Jʼaiprisdesexemplesasiatiquesaccessoirement,commeréférencechaquefois K.W. :Jemedemandedʼoùvientvotreintérêtpour lʼAsiedelʼEst. photos ouvidéos,cenʼestjamaisquʼunaspectdʼuneméthodedetravail. est indifférente. Recueillirdesinformationsécrites,documents sousformede S.S. :Jediraisquetousmesprojetssontplusoumoinsliésentreeux.Latechnique pour vosphotographiesetvidéos,oudoivent-ellesconstituerunregistreàpart? K.W. :Est-cequevosétudesdʼenvironnementsserventsimplementdepointdépart cartographie commercialefaitbasculerlerégionaldanslʼuniversel. dans lesannées1950.Celadonneunesortedʼimageenmiroir. Cegenrede succursales parisiennes,aveclescartesqueservicessecretsavaientdressées McDonald, ainsiquʼunepublicitédʼunKentuckyFriedChickenmontranttoutesles point devuehistorique,touristiqueetéconomique.Jʼaicomparélesnapperons emplacements desfast-foodsaujourdʼhuicorrespondentàzonesimportantesdu lieux repérésparlʼInternationalesituationnistepourleurseffets psychoaffectifs, les S.S. :Là,jʼaidécidédʼêtreattentifàlʼemplacementgéographique.Contrairementaux K.W. :CʼestunaspectquevousavezétudiéàParis,ilnʼyapaslongtemps? prochaine halte. guident leconsommateurverslasortie,puisdespanneauxfléchésluiindiquent pas deMcDonaldsonttropnégligeablespourêtreindiquées.Desrampesmétalliques Issue, January, 2000. Asie obéisseaux Galerie Chantal Crousel Woznicki, Krystian. «Uneplanèteclimatisée. deSeanSnyder Entretien avec Krystian Woznicki», NU, TheLars Issue »,janvier2000. Entretien publiéàStockholmdanslebimensuelNu,numérospécial« (traduit delʼanglaisparJeanneBouniort) généralise, ilssefondentdanslʼanonymatduquotidien. comme desintrus,maisàmesurequeleursoriginessʼeffacent etquelʼidentificationse Hello KittypourCitibank,etc.Cesélémentsarriventdansleurnouvelenvironnement dessin animéoudemangadansleurspublicités: Woody Woodpecker pour Visa, allégrement dansledécor. Les groupesbancairesrécupèrentdespersonnagesde Un château-fortfrançais,unranchaméricain,villagehollandaisvontsʼinsérer posséder lʼoriginal,maisplutôtlʼimitationpratiquéecommeuneformedʼamusement. S.S. :À Tokyo, sionparledʼappropriationculturelle,jenʼai pasperçuledésirde qui transforme(assimile)selonlesmodalitéslocalestoutcequʼelleabsorbe(importe). K.W. :Lecinéastejaponais Takeshi Kitanocompare Tokyo àuneénormeboîtenoire aussi débouchersurunesensibilitéaccrueàlalangueetauxcoutumesderégion. quʼelle perdsonintérêt.Lasynthèsedʼinfluenceoccidentaleetdeculturelocalepeut avec touslescritèresenvigueuràlʼéchelonmondial,elleesttellementédulcorée de marketingàvaleuruniverselle.Quandonarrivefairecadreruneformuledonnée animal decompagnie,ceseraexclu.Cʼesttrèscompliquéconcevoirunecampagne chien, maisdansunpaysmusulmanoùilnʼestpasquestiondʼavoirchienpour S.S. :DansunepublicitéaméricainepourCoca-Cola,onpeutlancerunfrisbeeà que les Asiatiques pourraienttransposerouutiliserdansleurviequotidienne. spécifiquement «occidentale»sʼavèreincapabledeproposerdesmodèles(identités) que lʼonavusedévelopperen Asie. Lerisque,selonlui,cʼestquecetteesthétique aux discothèquesetàcertainspansdelaculturepopulaire,autantphénomènes K.W. :Pour Terry Eagleton,lapostmodernité appartientauxcentrescommerciaux, Issue, January, 2000. The Lars