Page 124 - ARTE!Brasileiros #37

ART VERSUS IGNORANCE ENGLISH VERSION

The idea of bringing the sea back” to Paris led him to the pieces from the period, includes manuscripts, videos and
“
desire to manipulate, sculpt and translate 45 jagged rocks unpublished photos.
that weighed tons, which carried in them significant aspects The group’s philosophy involved a deep sense of freedom with
of the geological history of the city, which is situated where the use of contemporary literary and pictorial language that
there was a sea basin 45 million years ago. From this point, was extremely engaged with global issues, but also rooted in
working in partnership with the Palais de Tokyo in Paris, artistic concerns and local policies. Although Egypt was not
Rocamat Pierre Naturelle, institution that donated the at the war front, about 140 000 soldiers were based in Cairo
stones, France-Lanord & Bichaton, a restoration factory from 1941 to the end of the war.
in Nancy that became the artist’s studio, and the The Surrealist movement that was emerging in Europe as
construction company Bouygues Bâtiment Ile-de-France, a libertarian movement seemed to be the theoretical way
which provided heavy equipment for operational logistics, to take toward a new critique of social morality. The group,
the cautiously planned project occupied the fountains and however, has coined a new trend that is called Subjective
stairs of the Palais de Tokyo and Musée d’Art Moderne de Realism. For the painter and writer Ramses Younane, one of
la Ville in Paris.
the movement leaders, saw Surrealism as an art movement
that was collapsing and in this movement he identified two
SAM PROJECTS distinct lines. The first line was represented by the works of
Resident for over 25 years in Paris, Sandra Hegedus Mulliez
created a very particular form of patronage. With personal Dali and Magritte, which he considered overly deliberate forms
investment, excellent management partnerships and an of art expression, which left no room for a more uncontrolled
extensive network of employees, she offers grants for the use of imagination. And the second line in his opinion were
development of site specifics projects in France and other art expressions that were too focused in writing and over
countries. technical drawing that were self-centred and less concerned
“SAM Projects does not have its own space, the idea is to with collective issues.
partner with public spaces, such as the Palais de Tokyo, which Subjective Realism was more interested in incorporating
is investing heavily in contemporary art, and together with symbols found in art works that were directed by unconscious
them to create the opportunity to present new works of young impulses. Main mentor of the group, the poet Georges Henein
artists with a solid career. I do not have an economic reward was born in Cairo. Son of a diplomat father and Italian-Egyptian
with it, nor do I keep the works created by the artists in return mother, he was raised in Italy, France and Spain. His work
for the grants. For me, the real pleasure is in being able to Bilan du Mouvement Surréaliste, 1937, marked the beginning
follow projects from concept to end,” says Sandra. of the Egyptian Surrealist movement. Soon after, he was one
The organization has a project selection committee that of the artists responsible for the publication of the group’s
gathers on a yearly basis to discuss the names of potential manifesto, Vive l’árt Dégénéré.
artists that may receive the grants. On average, four artists One of the most important traits of this movement is the
are granted per year to develop projects that require time intense interrelationship between literature and visual arts.
and specific execution. The investment amounts to 400,000 Several of Heinen texts inspired the works of artists Kamel
Euros per year. Eduardo Basualdo, Ana Gallardo, Adrián Villar el-Telmissany and Amy Nimr. During the 1940s, the group also
Rojas (Argentina) and Henrique Oliveira (Brazil) have preceded published several newspapers, including the publication Don
Rodrigo Braga in this initiative. Quichotte, written in French and Arabic.
1 | NIMPHE COUCHÉE (1937), LÉON DRIVIER. COMMISSIONED WORK FOR THE 1937 1 | TWO SIMULTANEOUS EXHIBITIONS AT CENTRE GEORGES POMPIDOU BRING TO
INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY A DEEPER INSIGHT INTO THE DIFFERENCES WITHIN
THE SURREALIST MOVEMENT IN ART, ITS PECULIARITIES AND THEORETICAL
PARIS CENTRE POMPIDOU | PAGES 60 AND 61 PREMISES. BESIDES ART ET LIBERTÉ, THE SIXTH FLOOR OF THE CENTER HOSTS
ART AND FREEDOM MAGRITTE, LA TRAHISON DES IMAGES EXHIBITION (SEE DETAILED COVERAGE IN
ARTE!Brasileiros ONLINE) WHICH PRESENTS THE HISTORY AND EVOLUTION OF
THE BELGIAN PAINTER AND HIS DIVERGENCES WITH THE FRENCH SURREALIST
EXHIBITION ON ART & LIBERTY GROUP COLLECTIVE, COMPOSED MOVEMENT. AT A TIME WHEN PSYCHOANALYSIS PERMEATED DISCUSSIONS BETWEEN
PHILOSOPHERS, POETS AND WRITERS, MAGRITTE SOUGHT TO ESCAPE THE IDEA
OF WRITERS, ARTISTS AND ACTIVISTS, BRINGS NEW LIGHT ON THAT HIS PAINTING CAME FROM HIS UNCONSCIOUS MIND OR DREAMS AND, IN
MODERNISM AND SURREALISM IN EGYPT CONTRAST, THOUGHT THAT CONSCIOUSNESS AND LOGIC WERE INFINITELY
SUPERIOR TO THE IMAGINATION. HIS FAMOUS 1929 PAINTING QUESTIONS THE
BY PATRICIA ROUSSEAUX CONCEPT OF IMAGE WITH THE INSCRIPTION CECI N’EST PAS UNE PIPE (THIS IS
NOT A PIPE). TO THE ARTIST, WHAT WE SEE THROUGH THE IMAGE IS NOT
THE EXHIBITION Art et Liberté: Rupture, Guerre et NECESSARILY “THE THING” IN ITSELF, BUT A REPRESENTATION OF THE OBJECT
Surréalisme en Egypte (1938/1948) open until January 2017 at AND NOT THE “OBJECT”. FOR MAGRETTE, THE IMAGE IS AN ICON, WHICH IMPELS
the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris, is the first conceptual US TO THINK THAT THE ICON IS A PIPE. LATER, MAGRITTE WOULD FIND ECHO IN
art show on the Art & Liberty Group, an important collective THE THOUGHT OF PHILOSOPHER MICHEL FOUCAULT, WHO SAW IN MAGRITTE’S
of writers, artists and activists who played a key role in WORK HIS OWN REFLECTIONS ON THE USE AND MEANING OF WORDS.
Cairo’s culture in the 1930s, during the period of opposition
to fascism, nationalism and colonialism of the British Empire. 1 | PORTRAIT OF SPACE, AL BULWAYEB, NEAR SIWA, EGYPT (1937), LEE MILLER
Designed by guest curators Sam Bardaouil and Till Fellrath
and sponsored by Montblanc Cultural Foundation, the show 2 | ÉTUDE SURRÉALISTE (1940), IDA KAR/IDABEL
sheds new light on Modernism and Surrealism in Egypt.
The exhibition brings together a careful selection of iconic 3 | SANS TITRE (1943), HUILE SUR TOILE, RAMSÈS YOUNANE, 60 X 85 CM

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