EXHIBITION
27 MAY - 04 OCT 2015
VAN ABBENMUSEUM - EINDHOVEN (NL)
A Republic of Art
French Regional Collections of Contemporary Art
Monica Bonvicini, Hammering out (an old argument) Collection 49 Nord 6 Est
A Republic of Art is an exhibition about the world of visual art in the French Republic from the establishment of the FRAC system in 1982 right up to current developments in contemporary art today. These 23 FRACs were to span the entire country. Each was empowered to fund, collect and exhibit contemporary living artists from France and beyond thus providing the whole country with a uniquely ambitious and robust support system for the production of visual art in its own time.
The large-scale exhibition tells the story of art and the ambitious plans of the French state in collecting, organising and dispersing contemporary art in radically new ways.
Exhibition in the Van Abbemuseum
This exhibition takes place in the ten classical galleries of old building of the Van Abbemuseum. Rather than simply exhibiting these more than 100 art works the Van Abbemuseum will apply much of its own experimental thinking developed in exhibiting its own collection, which brings both art history and lived history together in provocative and exciting ways.
By looking at the collections of the FRAC from the perspective of cultural history, visitors will be able to compare their own memories and emotions of the past thirty years with the works of art that were made in that time. For some, a feast of recognition, a new acquaintance to others and a retrieval of memories. For others a sense of the power of history. But for all, because of the wealth of images, a ‘mer a boire’ for everyone.
Artists (selection)
Absalon, Dennis Adams, Daniel Buren, Sophie Calle, Jimmie Durham, Dominique Gonzalez- Foerster, Claire Fontaine, Raymond Hains, Bouchra Khalili, Christian Marclay, Yan Pei-Ming, Sarkis, Chen Zhen, Cindy Sherman, Lily Reynaud Dewar, ORLAN, Philippe Parreno, Michel François, Bruno Serralongue, Gustav Metzger, Philippe Parreno and many others.
Collaboration partners
A Republic of Art is a collaboration between the 23 FRACs, Platform. Régroupement des Fonds Régionaux d’Art Contemporain and the Van Abbemuseum. FRAC advisory board: Catherine Elkar (director FRAC Bretagne), Xavier Franceschi (director FRAC Île de France), Laurence Gateau (director FRAC Des Pays de la Loire), Anne-Claire Duprat (Platform).
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