André S. Labarthe's 'Le chat de Barcelone' at Maison d'art Bernard Anthonioz

André S. Labarthe presents an immersive, sensory installation at Maison d'art Bernard Anthonioz in Nogent-sur-Marne from March 25 to May 16, 2010. Titled 'Le chat de Barcelone,' the exhibition is not a conventional filmmaker's show but a metaphysical journey into time and mortality. Central to the work is a mummified cat found on the outskirts of Barcelona, serving as a relic of death-in-progress. The installation includes a film by Estelle Fredet (2009, 94 minutes) that portrays Labarthe in his home, where phones ring and typewriters clatter. The ironic subtitle 'Tout doit disparaître' (Everything must disappear) underscores the theme of vanitas, with decaying flower bouquets and dead leaves swept up in the final room. Labarthe frames cinema as a necropolis where beings seek a place to die, emphasizing the relentless passage of time.