Clarisse Hahn's Debut at Galerie Jousse Explores Body Codification

Clarisse Hahn's first exhibition at Galerie Jousse in Paris (March 9 to April 20, 2002) presents a visual and sound installation probing body codifications. The show is divided into two groups: a wall projection of the film 'Ovidie' (2000) and the video 'Hôpital' (1999), plus four monitors showing videos from the 'Boyzone' series. 'Ovidie' results from a year-long collaboration between Hahn, actress Ovidie, and her husband, focusing on behind-the-scenes moments of pornographic shoots—preparation, technical details, and the actors' care for their integrity. The video 'Hôpital' depicts elderly, suffering patients being cared for, highlighting the reification of individuals through the impersonal 'on' (one). The juxtaposition contrasts hypersexualized and asexualized bodies, both subjected to routine and objectification. The 'Boyzone' series offers a humorous physiognomy of stereotyped male attitudes in mechanized activities (security guard training a dog, crane operator, idle young men drinking beer). The installation emphasizes what escapes cliché: ritualization of attitudes and physical memory of codes. Curated by Marie de Brugerolle.