Gilles Barbier's Shipwreck of Meaning at Espace Claude Berri
The exhibition by Gilles Barbier at Espace Claude Berri in Paris, running from March 21 to May 10, 2008, presents a unified mapping of various territories. Central to the display is a raft stranded on halved barrels, representing the collapse of meaning. This raft leads to a nearby boat filled with miniature replicas of Barbier's creations from the last fifteen years. Themes explored include worms, cheese as a concept, and a network of organs linked by pipes that draw oxygen from an untouched forest. Wall drawings highlight aspects of the vessel, including a notable piece that enumerates the artist's computer files. Accompanying the exhibition is a book by Pierre Sterckx titled "Gilles Barbier, un abécédaire dans le désordre."
Key facts
- Exhibition at Espace Claude Berri, Paris, from March 21 to May 10, 2008
- Features a beached raft sculpture symbolizing shipwreck of meaning
- Includes an immense model containing miniature versions of Barbier's works from 15 years
- Rotating turntables allow infinite reading arrangements
- Barbier describes the vessel as more stomach than moving object
- Drawings on the wall reference elements inside the vessel
- One drawing shows all the artist's computer files on a stormy desktop
- Accompanying book by Pierre Sterckx, 'Gilles Barbier, un abécédaire dans le désordre'
Entities
Artists
- Gilles Barbier
- Pierre Sterckx
Institutions
- Espace Claude Berri
- éditions du Regard
Locations
- Paris
- France
Sources
- artpress —