Alessandro Cugola's 'Joy Ride' Reactivates Jester's Archive in Genk
In Genk, Italy, at Jester, Alessandro Cugola unveils 'Joy Ride', which brings the institution's archive to life through installations and a performance. This exhibition marks significant milestones: Jester's fifth anniversary, as well as the fortieth anniversary of FLACC and the fiftieth of CIAP, the two organizations that merged to create Jester. The event includes three distinct areas: 'Analchon', which emphasizes the body; 'Anarchive', which delves into the archive's history; and 'Joy Ride', where guests can interact with the archive using a table equipped with Ford wheels. Cugola's performance of 'Ventilation Organ' (2026) initiated the archiving process. While the archive will remain at Jester after the exhibition, its future applications remain unclear. 'Joy Ride' raises questions about the archive's significance without offering answers.
Key facts
- Exhibition 'Joy Ride' by Alessandro Cugola at Jester, Genk, runs from [dates not specified].
- The exhibition activates Jester's archive through site-specific installations and a durational performance.
- Jester celebrates its fifth anniversary, alongside the fortieth anniversary of FLACC and fiftieth of CIAP.
- The exhibition is divided into three spaces: Analchon, Anarchive, and Joy Ride.
- Cugola's performance during the opening activated 'Ventilation Organ' (2026), which hacks the building's climate control system.
- Volunteers continue the archiving process over the following weeks.
- The archive will be permanently stored in the Jester building after the exhibition.
- The work references the closed Ford factories in Genk, with Ford-branded wheels on the table installation.
- Cugola draws on Georges Bataille's 'The Solar Anus' (1931) in the Analchon space.
- The exhibition questions whether movement can be a temporary answer to the archive's uncertain status.
Entities
Artists
- Alessandro Cugola
- Georges Bataille
Institutions
- Jester
- FLACC
- CIAP
Locations
- Genk
- Italy