Histoires de voir / Show and Tell at Fondation Cartier

The exhibition 'Histoires de voir / Show and Tell' at Fondation Cartier pour l'art contemporain in Paris (May 15 – October 21, 2012) presents thirty artists whose works challenge conventional categories like 'naïve art' or 'art brut,' instead functioning as 'operators of presence' and 'intercessors' in a magical thinking framework. Curated with an introduction by Laymert Garcia Dos Santos, the show features pieces from Africa, India, Brazil, Japan, Haiti, Denmark, and Serbia, demonstrating refined material mastery and precise artistic awareness. Notable works include Yanomami shaman Taniki's cosmogonic drawings on paper provided by photographer Claudia Andujar, Warli artist Jyvia Soma Mashe's white bamboo-stick paintings, Jean-Baptiste Jean Joseph's intricate sequined Voodoo flags, and Isabel Mendes da Cunha's community-oriented ceramics. Historical Congolese works by Djilatendo from the 1920s-1930s, which likely influenced the Surrealists, are also included. The exhibition is scenographed by Italian designer Alessandro Mendini, who created a fluid and clear layout that serves the works, notably featuring a strong presence of animal motifs.