Two Exhibitions in Northern France Highlight Regional Art Scenes
In the fall of 2001, two exhibitions highlighted contemporary art from the Flanders-Picardy area: 'Appellation d'origine non contrôlée' in Amiens and Beauvais, and 'Atelier en œuvre' at the Centre Noroit in Arras. The first exhibition showcased artists hailing from Nord or Picardy, while the latter focused on bridging the gap between artists and the public. Featured works included sculptures by Stephen Maas, Mick Finch's 'Grid Passage' (1999), and an installation by Xavier Géneau in Amiens. In Arras, Rémi Guerrin's photography and Catherine Melin's drawings emphasized the qualities of various mediums. However, 'Atelier en œuvre' received criticism for its vague concept and inadequate documentation. A roundtable discussion on October 13 in Amiens addressed the difficulties faced by regional artists, advocating for job creation and institutional acknowledgment.
Key facts
- Two exhibitions in autumn 2001: 'Appellation d'origine non contrôlée' in Amiens and Beauvais, and 'Atelier en œuvre' at Centre Noroit in Arras.
- 'Appellation d'origine non contrôlée' featured artists born, residing, or working in Nord or Picardy.
- 'Atelier en œuvre' aimed to create encounters between artists, works, and audiences through mediators.
- Notable works: sculptures by Stephen Maas, 'Grid Passage' (1999) by Mick Finch, and installation by Xavier Géneau.
- Géneau's installation at Maison de la culture in Amiens depicted Galerie du Wazoo space; Janusz Stega added decorative wall motifs.
- Rémi Guerrin's photographs in Arras, previously at Usine in Paris (2000), showed precision in light and reflection.
- Catherine Melin's drawings complemented Guerrin's focus on medium qualities.
- Roundtable on October 13 in Amiens with collectives like Station MIR, CloaQ, and others discussed regional artist challenges.
- Review criticizes 'Atelier en œuvre' for unclear concept, poor documentation, and lack of funding.
- Artists deserving greater visibility: Guerrin, Melin, Lesieur, Géneau, Herlemont.
Entities
Artists
- Stephen Maas
- Mick Finch
- Xavier Géneau
- Janusz Stega
- Rémi Guerrin
- Catherine Melin
- Eugène Leroy
- Tristan Trémeau
- Lesieur
- Herlemont
Institutions
- Centre Noroit
- Maison de la culture (Amiens)
- Espace culturel François Mitterand (Beauvais)
- Galerie du Wazoo (Amiens)
- Usine (Paris)
- Frac Nord-Pas-de-Calais
- Association des amis du Frac
- Délégation aux arts plastiques
- Station MIR
- CloaQ
- Le Complex (Hérouville-Saint-Clair)
- Plusieurs (Oise)
- Acte de Naissance (Valenciennes)
- Emmetrop (Bourges)
- CAAP (Paris)
- La Forge (Somme)
- Jeune Création (Paris)
- La Plate-Forme (Dunkerque)
- SEPA/le Bon Accueil (Rennes)
- Mains d'œuvres (Paris)
Locations
- Arras
- France
- Amiens
- Beauvais
- Nord
- Picardy
- Liverpool
- United Kingdom
- Paris
- Hérouville-Saint-Clair
- Oise
- Valenciennes
- Bourges
- Somme
- Dunkerque
- Rennes
Sources
- artpress —