Thomas Hirschhorn Creates Simone Weil Map During Paris Lockdown

On April 2, 2020, Swiss artist Thomas Hirschhorn filmed a video from his Paris apartment documenting his creation of a large-scale map dedicated to French philosopher Simone Weil. The work, occupying most of his living room floor, features interconnected boxes with text and images in Hirschhorn's signature block capitals, including terms like 'WORKER,' 'GRAVITY AND GRACE,' and 'THINKER.' Hirschhorn explains he creates maps to better understand Weil's work, showing her book 'La Pesanteur et la Grâce' in its original French edition. The video was produced for Gladstone Gallery, based in the United States, during a period when Hirschhorn was confined to his home due to pandemic restrictions. He walks barefoot on the artwork during the demonstration, surrounded by books, Post-its, marker pens, and sticky tape. The artist's process involves drawing connections between concepts, creating structures resembling diamonds and prisms through numerous links. Hirschhorn emphasizes that every element on the map is important, stating 'Everything counts' and 'Nothing is not important.' The video begins with a view from his window onto an empty Paris street before shifting to the interior workspace.