Stéphane Dafflon's Dual Exhibitions in Neuchâtel and Fribourg

Stéphane Dafflon is presenting two solo exhibitions in Swiss Romandy: at CAN in Neuchâtel (15/09–28/10/01) and at Centre Fri-art in Fribourg (31/08–11/11/01). The Fribourg-based artist employs simple, seductive geometry drawn from contemporary graphic design and visual culture, achieving a "zero degree" of visual writing. His work is radically non-metaphysical, treating space like an interior designer using combinatorial possibilities, and presents objects to be apprehended directly rather than as simulations. At Fri-art, a series of wooden panels with rounded edges and colorful shapes rest on stemmed bases; viewers can rotate them to create their own configurations. At CAN, the installation "Highway" is less interactive, featuring a low-resolution 3D effect. It consists of white-painted wooden elements assembled into a progressively inclined arc that rises from the floor horizontally to merge with the upper left corner of the opposite wall. The structure's joints are visible, and a cross-section is viewable from the second room. On the floor, Dafflon has painted geometric motifs resembling his wall paintings, whose perspectival stretch suggests speed—countered by half-moon modules like deck chairs that turn the "highway" into a rest area.