Contemporary Art Installations at Fortress of Salses

The Fortress of Salses, a 15th-century Spanish-built stronghold in the Pyrénées-Orientales later acquired by France after the Treaty of the Pyrenees, now hosts a permanent contemporary art program. Initiated by curator Jean-Michel Phéline, the project integrates artworks into the historic monument under the aegis of Monum' and the association In Visu. Phéline, formerly responsible for public commissions at the DAP, has curated an exemplary collection. Notable works include Erik Dietman's "Gardiens de fûts," a row of bronze, glass, and marble noses installed in a cellar. In former stables, a polyester-encased root over eight meters long by Toni Grand and two sculptures by Daniel Firman engage formally and metaphorically with the space. Firman's "Bi-logis," a cast of a cocoon he made around his body during a performance, appears as a pathetic form under the vault. On a windy terrace, twelve cut-steel elements by Grand are arranged, while a compact lead mass by the same artist near the central well in the courtyard deliberately understates its scale to open the space. A work by Daniel Dezeuze is expected to join the collection, and an artist residency program will enrich it further. This year, three temporary works by Antoni Muntadas are on view until December 24: an eye in a ventilation shaft, a video installation using Joris Ivens film extracts, and another video installation presenting conflicting views of a city. Winter light enhances the pink and blond brick fortress.