Vides: A Retrospective of Empty Exhibitions at Centre Pompidou
From February 25 to March 23, 2009, the Centre Pompidou's Musée national d'art moderne in Paris showcased 'Vides, une retrospective,' an intriguing look at empty exhibitions, curated by notable figures like Mathieu Copeland and John Armleder. This exhibition filled nine galleries along the permanent collection route, each highlighting a significant empty exhibition, such as Yves Klein's 'Le Vide' from 1958. Other featured works included pieces by Art & Language, Stanley Brouwn, Robert Barry, Robert Irwin, Laurie Parsons, Bethan Huws, Maria Eichhorn, and Roman Ondak. With a focus on the idea of emptiness, the show had minimal labels and was supported by a comprehensive catalog. It later traveled to Kunsthalle Bern.
Key facts
- Exhibition ran from February 25 to March 23, 2009
- Curated by Mathieu Copeland, John Armleder, Gustav Metzger, Mai-Thu Perret, Clive Phillpot, and Laurent Le Bon
- Featured nine empty exhibitions in chronological order
- Included Yves Klein's 1958 'Le Vide' at Galerie Iris Clert
- Other artists: Art & Language, Stanley Brouwn, Robert Barry, Robert Irwin, Laurie Parsons, Bethan Huws, Maria Eichhorn, Roman Ondak
- Galleries were emptied, repainted, and left unchanged
- Projects were re-actualized with artists, not reconstructed
- Catalog anthologizes emptiness in visual arts, literature, and science
- Exhibition later presented at Kunsthalle Bern
Entities
Artists
- Mathieu Copeland
- John Armleder
- Gustav Metzger
- Mai-Thu Perret
- Clive Phillpot
- Laurent Le Bon
- Yves Klein
- Marcel Duchamp
- Alphonse Allais
- Art & Language
- Stanley Brouwn
- Robert Barry
- Robert Irwin
- Laurie Parsons
- Bethan Huws
- Maria Eichhorn
- Roman Ondak
- Douglas Huebler
- Marie-Cécile Burnichon
Institutions
- Musée national d'art moderne
- Centre Pompidou
- Galerie Iris Clert
- Kunsthalle Bern
- MAC Lyon
- Baltic Art Center
- Kunsthalle St Gallen
- Ferme du Buisson
- Bibliothèque Kandinsky
Locations
- Paris
- France
- Bern
- Switzerland
- Lyon
- Newcastle
- St Gallen
Sources
- artpress —