François Curlet's Extravaganza: A Retrospective and New Works
François Curlet, who was born in Paris in 1967, is currently showcased in a solo exhibition at the Institut d'art contemporain de Villeurbanne and Le Plateau in Paris from September 13 to November 18, 2007. His artistic approach often employs techniques of displacement and reversal, as seen in Secret public #1, #2, #3 (1997), which publicly disclosed credit card information. Curlet's innovative use of self-structuring fiber concrete led to the creation of Maison fainéante (2006), a prototype for the Parc d'art vivant de Turin set for 2008. His works frequently incorporate animal themes and draw inspiration from Lewis Carroll and various cartoons. Significant pieces include Rorschach Saloon (1999), B.O.G.O.F. (2007), and Big Corn (2007), tackling issues such as branding and climate change.
Key facts
- François Curlet born 1967 in Paris.
- Monographic exhibition at Institut d'art contemporain de Villeurbanne and Le Plateau, Paris (13 Sept – 18 Nov 2007).
- Secret public #1, #2, #3 (1997) revealed credit card codes in public.
- Architecture fainéante (2002-2007) developed self-structuring fiber concrete.
- Maison fainéante (2006) prototype shown at Airs de Paris, Centre Pompidou.
- Crème de Singe (2004) featured a bonobo at Printemps department store.
- B.O.G.O.F. (2007) includes Panton chair and harness, pun on 'beau gosse'.
- French Farce (2007) at Le Plateau invited Jos de Gruyter & Harald Thys.
- Djellabas Nike, Adidas, Fila (1998) critiques branding and cultural integration.
- Big Corn (2007) alludes to climate change with maxi-size popped corn.
Entities
Artists
- François Curlet
- Massimo Mattioli
- Matt Groening
- Charles M. Schulz
- Robert Filliou
- Marcel Broodthaers
- Sigmund Freud
- Charlie Chaplin
- Marcel Duchamp
- Jos de Gruyter
- Harald Thys
- Florence Doléac
- Cécilia Bezzan
Institutions
- Institut d'art contemporain de Villeurbanne
- Le Plateau
- Frac Ile-de-France
- Centre Pompidou
- Parc d'art vivant de Turin
- Printemps
- Galerie Micheline Szwajcer
- Air de Paris
- La Maison Rouge
- Centre d'art Santa Monica
- Chapelle du Genêteil
- Centre culturel français de Turin
- Galerie Commune
- artpress
Locations
- Paris
- France
- Villeurbanne
- Turin
- Italy
- Anvers
- Belgium
- Barcelona
- Spain
- Château-Gontier
- Brussels
- Boulevard Haussmann
Sources
- artpress —