Espace projectif curatorial collective on emerging art and exhibition-making

In an interview with artpress, the 12 young curators of the newly formed collective Espace projectif discuss their exhibition 'Un plus grand lac' at Magasins généraux in Pantin (3–25 October 2020). The show features 15 artists from the École des Arts Décoratifs and the École des Beaux-Arts de Paris. The curators describe the exhibition as arising from shared affinities rather than a unified generational identity, forming a temporary community of artists whose questions create a heterogeneous network. They emphasize that the term 'young' was not a curatorial argument but a simple statement of status, and that the near parity between artists and curators shaped the exhibition around exchange and constant questioning. Key curatorial challenges include evolving artists' practices, balancing economic dynamics with intellectual stakes, and fostering mutual aid over competition, especially in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic. The collective was guided by experienced figures such as Claire le Restif, Hélène Meisel, Anna Labouze, and Keimis Henni.