MAC/VAL: How Art Transforms Literature and the Aesthetic Regime

The article featured in artpress 2 n°26 (August/September/October 2012) explores the aesthetic framework of contemporary art through the lens of the MAC/VAL museum located in Vitry-sur-Seine. It highlights the contrast between the accessibility and circulation of contemporary art and the hierarchical nature of traditional museums, drawing on Jacques Rancière's concept of the 'aesthetic regime.' The museum emphasizes the artistic significance of everyday items, challenging notions of randomness. Works highlighted include Felice Varini's 'Trois cercles désaxés' (2005), Nicolas Floc'h's 'Performance painting #4' (2006), Claude Lévêque's 'Sans titre (Amertume)' (2005), and Eric Hattan's 'Lèche-Vitry-nes' (2010). The author distinguishes between conservative and liberating forms of 'n'importisme,' ultimately asserting that the essence of contemporary art resides in its creation and experiential potential for transformation.