1000 PLATEAUX Claude Lévêque Curator Chiara Parisi

Press Release/ Centre international d’art et du paysage de l’île de Vassivière
1000 PLATEAUX
Claude Lévêque
Curator Chiara Parisi
Opening
16 July 2005 – 6 pm
Open to the public
17 July to 16 October 2005
When one arrives at Vassivière Island, one feels like entering a magnetic pole made of the two architectural
and landscape axes designed by Aldo Rossi and Xavier Fabre: the lighthouse tower and the gallery. The latter
descends in the direction of the lake and houses the bookstore, the library, the reading room and the small
theater, while the lighthouse is linked to the island, the sculpture garden, and the forest. This is all one
uninterrupted chain formed by numerous elements that are all devoted to creation, production, research and
teaching.
In the International Center for Art and Landscape, art exists to relate to architecture and landscape. It is
difficult to imagine a more flexible place than a forest or a lake dedicated to artistic creation. Chameleon-like
places that change constantly in accordance with the artists who intervene both outside and inside the building.
Following Laura Erber’s exhibition Open contour, director Chiara Parisi has invited artist Claude Lévêque to
occupy and interpret the polymorphic spaces of the International Center.
Born in 1953, Claude Lévêque is one of the best-known French artists on the international circuit. His early
autobiographical and narrative work has gradually moved towards creating radical installations offered to the
visitor’s sensitive experience.
The exhibition 1000 PLATEAUX designed for Vassivière Island, intervenes as a concrete and critical action on
reality, and in this sense is a continuation of the activity and reflection that has been developed by the
International Center. Claude Lévêque’s boldly sacrilegious work deals a powerful blow to Aldo Rossi’s landscape
and building. The artist’s action concerns the interior and exterior of the Art Center viewed as locations of
similar semantic value.
Claude Lévêque touches on the key point as well as the main characteristic of the institution where he
intervenes: the close connection between architecture and landscape which has been the reason and obsession of
the Art Center ever since it was founded. He operates in a sharp and ironic - but always powerfully poetic fashion, a painful poetry that shakes the spectator by plunging him into a peculiar emotional and psychological
situation.
A clever direction, with Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari and their Mille Plateaux reappearing at each and every
step in the objects that one comes upon in the Art Center, crossing the nave to the small theater and continuing
all the way to the tower, which turns imperiously towards the sky.
1000 PLATEAUX is the metamorphosis of the place in all of its most peculiar aspects. Claude Lévêque has not
chosen to intervene in Vassivière Island because of his adhesion to Aldo Rossi’s post-modernist architecture – for
all that the project does respond to the Italian architect’s theatrical fancy - but rather because of his sensibility
and attentive power of observation of the place, where he creates a circular flow between nature, architecture
and human presence.
The result is a total re-activation of the elements that make up landscape and building. Through this movement
the artist justifies a semantic shifting operation, raising to the category of works of art one of the typical elements
of the regional landscape: cows. As a result of the switching of meaning provoked by the artist, cows are made an
integral part of the collection of sculptures in the gardens. At the same time, the lighthouse – imagined by Aldo
Rossi as a spot for observation and reflection – becomes the sonorous landmark of the animal behavior and
violence that is considered to be inherent to the spectator/inhabitant of the exhibition.
In this sense, Claude Lévêque makes no concession to the inspiring beauty of location in expressing his action
throughout the 200 square meters of exhibition space at the International Center for Art and Landscape and its
surroundings.
The project is an investigation into reality. In the new vision proposed by the artist, the building is no longer
seen as a place of art, but is rather demystified and reduced to its architectural essence as a large covered space
in the middle of a natural place, where it becomes a vast cowshed.
Claude Lévêque undertakes an almost philological recovery of the large spaces resembling the sole nave of some
Roman basilica of the days of the Empire, used for the allocutio of Emperors and Senators, but also for the street
market and trade. The area of the Roman forum was previously nothing more than pasture land. Nature is ever
present, but it gives way to new darker and less bucolic sensations. It reclaims its rights and is capable of
irreverently invading the spaces of culture and art jealously protected by the conservatives/conservationists.
Claude Lévêque involves visitor and territory in this large arrangement where the notion of a calm landscape is
knocked from its pedestal, dragging with it all pre-established realities.
The institution responsible for conserving the place welcomes an intervention that undermines its status as a
protected place, in the belief that the entire space of the Art Center will thus take on a new and astonishingly
expressive significance.
This exhibition is the fruit of Claude Lévêque’s creative universe. It is not simply a unique experience to be
shared; it is also a look at the contextual entity that we call landscape, an evocation of the codes that a
population uses as a reference. Claude Lévêque’s work feeds off the punk movement, the music of the Stones,
Bowie… all the references that end up representing the specific reality of a generation.
On Vassivière Island Claude Lévêque continues to expose a deeply paradoxical reality. Upsetting space,
imposing his own filter and optic distortion, the artist surprisingly renews the elements that make up the
landscape and architecture by totally transforming an art center and stimulating – of this we are sure – new and
different reactions.
With the collaboration of Gerome Nox and Léo Carbonnier.
Claude Lévêque, born in Nevers in 1953, lives and works in Montreuil and Nièvre.
Individual exhibitions (selection): 1996, Paris, My Way, ARC/Musée d’art moderne de la Ville de Paris; 1999,
New York, Stigmata, PS1; 2001, Barcelona, Let’s dance, Espace 13, Fondation Miro; 2002, Mito, Double manège,
Contemporary Art Center, Art Tower Mito; Tokyo, Reconstruire la fenêtre, Rice Gallery; 2003, Geneva, Albatros,
MAMCO; 2004, Paris, Vinaigre, Galerie Yvon Lambert; 2005, Paris, HERR MONDE pour «Minevent» de Merce
Cunningham, Opéra Garnier, 7 January 2004.
Group exhibitions (selection): 2000, Paris, Au-delà du spectacle, Centre Georges Pompidou; 2001, Berlin, IIe
Biennale; 2002, Rome, Wild horses, «Tutto normale», Villa Médicis; 2003, Lyon, VALSTAR barbie, 7e Biennale;
Havana, Novicio en la noche, 8e Biennale; 2004, Taipei, Datapanik, «Embodying the scenery of ecology», Juming Museum;
2005, Dresden, Le visiteur «present distance», Palais des Arts Grossen Garden.
Within the framework of this exhibition, a catalog is edited by Silvana Editoriale (Milan). Art direction : Paola
Manfrin.
Centre international d’art et du paysage
Ile de Vassivière F - 87120
Presse office
Frédéric Legros
tél: +33 (0)5 55 69 27 27
fax: +33 (0)5 55 69 29 31
[email protected]
www.ciapiledevassiere.com
Open daily from 11 am to 7 pm
Admission: normal price: 3 euros / half price: 1,5 euros children over 12, students, unemployed / free: children
under 12, handicapped persons and their companions, Friends of the Centre international d’art et du paysage de l’île
de Vassivière, Artothèque subscribers.
The International Center for Art and Landscape receives support from the Ministry of Culture and
Communication / Drac Limousin, the Limousin Regional Board, the General Board of la Creuse and the
Mixed Regional and Inter-departmental Syndicate of Vassivière en Limousin (SYMIVA).
The exhibition 1000 PLATEAUX by Claude Lévêque is sponsored in partnership with GAEC Chatoux –
Pichon Ferme Auberge, L’Echo and Naturalia.
Claude Lévêque
born in Nevers, France in 1953
lives and works in Montreuil, France and Pèteloup, France
Individual exhibitions
2005
Herr monde pour Minevent de Merce Cunningham, Opéra-Garnier, Paris, France
Rumeur, Galerie des Multiples, Paris, France
Vinaigre, L.A.C, Sigean, France
2004
Entrevue, Le Seuil, Chapelle Notre-Dame de la Sagesse, Paris, France
Kurt Cobain, 8 avril 1994, La Nouvelle Galerie, Grenoble, France
Vinaigre, Galerie Yvon Lambert, Paris, France
2003
Boomerang, Chapelle du Genêteil, Château-Gontier, France
Albatros, MAMCO, Genève, Suisse
2002
Mon combat, La Salle de bain, Lyon, France
Reconstruire la fenêtre, Rice Gallery, Tokyo, France
Welcome to Pacific Dream, La Galerie, Noisy le Sec, France
City Strass, Musée d’Art moderne et contemporain, Strasbourg, France
D’Evian, Galerie Arndt and Partner, Berlin, Allemagne
Double manège, Contemporary Art Center, Art Tower Mito, Mito, Japon
2001
Le meilleur des mondes, Centre d’Art Passerelle, Brest, France
Let’s dance, Espace 13, Fondation Miro, Barcelone, Espagne
Ende, Galerie Yvon Lambert, Paris, France
2000
Haüsler Kunst Projekte, Munich, Allemagne
Herr Monde, Le Creux de l’Enfer, Thiers, France
Scarface, Cinéma Les Variétés, FRAC Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, Marseille, France
Le droit du plus fort, Agence d’Art Stéphane Ackermann, Luxembourg, Luxembourg
Caos Verde, Café 9, Saint-Etienne, France
1999
World Cup, Transpalette, Emmetrop, Bourges, France
Virus Day (project room), Arco 99, Madrid, Espagne
Oscillations, State Street Bridge Gallery, Chicago, Etats-Unis
Stigmata, PS1 Museum, New York, Etats-Unis
Kollaps, Le Consortium, Dijon, France
Sentier Lumineux, Lieu Unique, Nantes, France
1998,
Plus de lumière, Villa Arson, Nice, France
Les lumières de la ville, chez Pierre Chevalier, Paris, France
Game’s Over, Galerie du Jour / Agnès b., Paris, France
1997
Troubles, Kasseler Kunstverein, Kassel, Allemande
Fri-Art, Kunsthalle, Fribourg, Suisse
1996
My Way, ARC / Musée d’Art moderne de la ville de Paris, Paris, France
I Wanna Be Your Dog, Atelier Sainte-Anne, Bruxelles, Belgique
Les Champions, Galerie de Paris, Paris, France
Galerie Toxic New Art, Luxembourg, Luxembourg
1995
La Piscine, les images du plaisir, FRAC Pays de la Loire, Laval, France
Chambre 321, Le Confort Moderne, Poitiers, France
1994
Galerie de Paris, Paris, France
Appartement occupé, Emmetrop, Bourges, France
Galerie Hiltrud Jordan, Cologne, Allemagne
1993
Appartement occupé, Emmetrop, Bourges, France
1992
Jour de chance, Opération HLM, APAC, Nevers, France
1991
Galerie de Paris, Paris, France
1990
Abbaye Saint-André, Centre d’Art Contemporain, Meymac, France
Parvis 2, Ibos-Tarbes, France
Parvis 3, Pau, France
1988
Galerie de Paris, Paris, France
1987
Musée Bossuet, Meaux, France
1984
Galerie Éric Fabre, Paris, France
Group exhibitions
2005
Cohabitats, Galerie Ghislaine Hussenot, Paris, France
Resent Distance, Palais des Arts Grossen Garden, Dresde, Allemagne
Le monde est rond, Espace de l’Art Concret, Mouans-Sartoux, France
Mots d’ordre, mots de passe, Espace Paul Ricard, Paris, France
Enchanté Château, Fondation Salomon, Alex, France
Propositions lumineuses, Galerie Alain Gutharc, Paris, France
Lichtkunst aus Kunstlicht, Zkm, Karlsruhe, Allemagne
2004
Presque, L’Impasse, Paris, France
Pour les oiseaux (hommage à Jean-François Taddeï), FRAC Pays de la Loire, Carquefou, France
Emboding The Scenery Of Ecology, Juming museum, Taïpei, Chine
Lieux communs, Les Instants Chavirés, Montreuil, France
Le Transpalette, Emmetrop, Bourges, France
Pick up, Lieu Public, Paris, France
Histoires à peinture, Musée des Beaux-Arts Expérience, Besançon, France
2003
Coollustre, Collection Yvon Lambert, Avignon, France
Mouvements de fonds, MAC, Marseille, France
7ème Biennale de Lyon, la Sucrière, Lyon, France
Déchirures de l’histoire, Le 19, Centre régional d’Art contemporain, Montbéliard, France
Novicio en la noche, 8ème Biennale de La Havane, La Havane, Cuba
Flower Power, Musée des Beaux-Arts, Lille, France
2002
Art Basel, Art Unlimited, Yvon Lambert, Bâle, Suisse
Tutto normale, Jardins de la Villa Médicis, Rome, Italie
Von Zero, Mnk / Zkm, Karlsruhe, Allemagne
2001
Hôtel de Caumont, Collection Yvon Lambert, Avignon, France
Friends, Galerie Chez Valentin, Paris, France
2ème Biennale, Allianz Trep Tower, Berlin, Allemagne
A world within a space, Kunsthalle, Zürich, Suisse
Faut-il rajouter de la vie aux années ou des années à la vie ?, Galerie Gabrielle Maubrie, Paris, France
2000
Light Pieces, Casino, Luxembourg, Luxembourg
Elysian Fields, Musée national d’Art moderne / Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris, France
Le monde dans la tête, Arc / Musée d’Art moderne de la ville de Paris, Paris, France
Présumés innocents, CAPC / Musée d’Art Contemporain Bordeaux, France
Vivre sa vie, Tramway Glasgow, France
Au-delà du spectacle, Centre Georges Pompidou Paris, France
Voyager à la verticale, Parc de la Villette Paris, France
1999
Expander 1.0, Galerie Jousse-Seguin, Paris, France
Le temps libre : son imaginaire, son aménagement, ses trucs pour s’en sortir, Deauville, France
Trans-sphère, FRAC Poitou-Charentes, Angoulême, France
1998
Do All Oceans Have Walls ?, Kunsthalle Bremen, Brême, Allemagne
Premises, Storefront for Art and Architecture, Guggenheim Museum, New York, Etats-Unis
Gare de l’Est, Casino, Luxembourg, Luxembourg
1997
Objets, Images, Scènes, Le Magasin, Grenoble, France
Panique au faubourg, Quartier des Récollets, Montréal, Canada
Galerie Denise René, Paris, France
1995
Correspondances, Musée Kuskovo, Moscou, Russie
Mise en Scène, Ho-Am Museum, Séoul, Corée
1994
L’hiver de l’amour, ARC / Musée d’Art moderne de la ville de Paris, Paris, France
Biennale de Cetinje, Cetinje, Montenegro
Le bénéfice du doute, Galerie Le Sous-Sol, Paris, France
L’hiver de l’amour, PS1 Museum, New York, Etats-Unis
Comment raser un donjon qui dérange, A l’écart, Montreuil, France
Bifurcations, Abbaye Saint André, Centre d’Art contemporain, Meymac, France
1993
Unité, Cité Radieuse Le Corbusier, Firminy, France
June, Galerie Thaddeus Ropac, Paris, France
Le bénéfice du doute, Centre d’Art Optica, Montréal, Canada
1992
Les Survivants, Galerie de Paris, Paris, France
9èmes Ateliers Internationaux des Pays de la Loire, Clisson, France
1982
Une autre photographie, Maison des Arts, Créteil, France
12ème Biennale, Musée d’Art moderne de la ville de Paris, Paris, France
1991
French Kiss II, APAC Centre d’Art Contemporain, Nevers, France
1990
Le Spectaculaire, Centre d’Histoire de l’Art contemporain, Rennes, France
French Kiss, Halle Sud, Genève, Suisse
1989
Dimension Jouet, Centre de la Vieille Charité, Marseille, France
Nos années 80, Fondation Cartier, Jouy-en-Josas, France
1988
Fictions installées, Kunstverein, Heidelberg, Allemagne
Clarté, Nordjyllands Kunstmuseum, Alborg, Danemark
1985
Fondation Cartier, Jouy-en-Josas, France
1984
Ateliers 84, ARC / Musée d’Art moderne de la ville Paris, Paris, France
Nouveaux objets illustratifs ou le crève-cœur en 1984, Musée des Beaux-Arts, Chartres, France
Pour vivre heureux, vivons cachés, exposition en appartements, Nevers, France
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