The exhibition Fluid Desires at art institute Nest in the Hague, the Netherlands, ended on March 22. Of the eight participating artists, five were French. Thatâs no coincidence. As a Dutch liaison in Paris, I like to create connections between France and the Netherlands. Two countries that are geographically practically neighbors but at the same time, culturally and linguistically, worlds apart. They seem to be each others blind spot whereas the exchange can be, and has proven, to be so fruitful.
I started the research for Fluid Desires in 2013 when I was still living in the Netherlands and continued it in France. At the time it struck me that many artists used liquids. This intrigued me and I was wondering what motivated them. While researching I discovered a wider and more interesting field of art that deals with fluidity without necessarily using liquids, among them some of my favourite French artists: Hicham Berrada, Mimosa Echard, Marie Maillard, Shanta Rao and JĂ©rĂŽme Robbe (apart from Inge van Genuchten, Maya Rochat and Leonid Tsvetkov). I had been following their work for years. None of them had explored Dutch territory before. Now that the exhibition has just happened, visitors were glad to discover them and shared my enthusiasm.
Fluid Desires was an exhibition about the current liquid world. Concepts that have been carved in stone for decades are shifting. Think for example of time, space, reality, nature, object and the object-human relationship. Developments in science, technology and philosophy are the catalyst for these changes. An important place occupies the Polish-British sociologist and philosopher Zygmunt Bauman who has extensively analysed the increasingly slippery society. The hybrid, unstable world serves as a point of departure for the artists in Fluid Desires. Post-apocalyptic cocktails and other works of art with a liquid allure zoom in on blurring boundaries between natural and synthetic, living and non-living. Their understanding of the world is through matter. The artworks do not use symbols or metaphors, nor do they depict anything; on the contrary, they just are. These explosions of color, texture, and slipperiness, are related in aesthetics. Throughout the exhibition, the concept of contagion is recurrent. Contamination as a marker for meanings that mix, images that merge and ideas that influence each other. The exhibition has sometimes science-fiction-like traits as platitudes are deserted and the future is fantasized.
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Hicham Berrada is an alchemical artist who conjures up enticing worlds. The influence of science (chemistry, physics, biology and computer science) is undeniable in his work. He occupies a unique position. Berradaâs artworks imitate, sublimate or sabotage natural processes such as growth, bloom and decay, and metabolism.
I was immediately struck when I saw his work for the first time in La Panacée (Montpellier, 2017). He showed Tranche, Présage (2013-2017) that I would later also select for Fluid Desires. In aquariums the artist composes underwater landscapes using alkalines, acids, water, minerals and elements such as copper, cobalt or iron. These landscapes slowly continue to develop. It is striking that lifeless substances reveal that they possess movement and behave in a manner evoking living beings. This is Hicham Berrada at his best. The ecosystems that the artist brings into being shake up the distinctions between living and mineral, between organic and inorganic. Even though the lead, silver, aluminum and other elements the artist uses in his work are naturally occurring, these substances are actually poisonous, especially in high concentrations and in limited space. In a time of foreboding that nature will ultimately cease to exist, these evolving, chemical landscapes open the door to other forms of life, movement and beauty.
Berrada is also intrigued by the concepts of morphogenesis and creation. Morphogenesis, literally the âbeginning of the shapeâ, is the biological process that causes an organism to develop its shape. For Berrada morphogenesis is first and foremost the idea of not being interested in a fixed form or finished sculpture, but rather in the idea of a shape in motion. He reveals in his works invisible physical phenomena with evocative forces and captures energies inhabiting this world that we normally do not see. Perhaps thatâs what strikes me most about this artist. Hicham Berrada considers himself as a âdirector of energyâ, a servant of nature that helps to fulfil certain processes. Not one shape is created by himself, he merely helps certain forms appear at a given moment in a given place. For instance, in the video CĂ©leste (2014) that I saw in his solo in Louvre Lens (2019) and I subsequently selected for Fluid Desires, it is the wind that paints the clouds. I have come to know Hicham Berrada as a modest and intelligent artist working hard in his studio, being in contact with scientists and not at all caring about what is fashionable but following his own path.
Nanda Janssen, 2020
Lâexposition Fluid Desires prĂ©sentĂ©e Ă la galerie Nest Ă La Haye, aux Pays-Bas, sâest terminĂ©e le 22 mars. Parmi les huit artistes participants, cinq Ă©taient français. Ce nâest pas un hasard. En tant que nĂ©erlandaise chargĂ©e de mission Ă Paris, jâaime crĂ©er des liens entre la France et les Pays-Bas. Deux pays presque voisins, mais des mondes Ă part du point de vue culturel et linguistique. Ils semblent ĂȘtre la zone grise lâun de lâautre alors que lâĂ©change peut ĂȘtre, et sâest avĂ©rĂ©, si fructueux.
Jâai commencĂ© les recherches pour Fluid Desires en 2013 alors que je vivais encore aux Pays-Bas et je les ai poursuivies en France. Ă lâĂ©poque, jâai Ă©tĂ© frappĂ© par le fait que de nombreux artistes utilisaient des liquides. Cela mâintriguait et je me demandais ce qui les motivait. Au cours de mes investigations, jâai dĂ©couvert un domaine de lâart plus large et passionnant qui sâintĂ©resse Ă la fluiditĂ© sans nĂ©cessairement utiliser de liquides, et oĂč officient certains de mes artistes français prĂ©fĂ©rĂ©s : Hicham Berrada, Mimosa Echard, Marie Maillard, Shanta Rao et JĂ©rĂŽme Robbe (sans oublier Inge van Genuchten, Maya Rochat et Leonid Tsvetkov). Je suivais leur travail depuis des annĂ©es. Aucun dâentre eux nâavait explorĂ© le territoire nĂ©erlandais auparavant. Lors de lâexposition, les visiteurs ont Ă©tĂ© enchantĂ©s de les dĂ©couvrir et ont partagĂ© mon enthousiasme.
Fluid Desires Ă©tait une exposition consacrĂ©e au monde liquide actuel. Des concepts gravĂ©s dans la pierre depuis des dĂ©cennies sont en train de changer. Pensez par exemple au temps, Ă lâespace, Ă la rĂ©alitĂ©, Ă la nature, Ă lâobjet et Ă la relation objet-homme. LâĂ©volution de la science, de la technologie et de la philosophie est le catalyseur de ces changements. Une place importante de la recherche dans ce domaine revient au sociologue et philosophe polono-britannique Zygmunt Bauman, qui a analysĂ© en dĂ©tail une sociĂ©tĂ© de plus en plus instable. Le monde hybride et fluctuant sert de point de dĂ©part aux artistes de Fluid Desires. Les cocktails post-apocalyptiques et autres Ćuvres dâart Ă lâapparence liquide mettent en lumiĂšre les frontiĂšres floues entre le naturel et le synthĂ©tique, le vivant et le non-vivant. Les artistes apprĂ©hendent le monde Ă travers le prisme de la matiĂšre. Les Ćuvres dâart nâutilisent ni symboles ni mĂ©taphores, et ne dĂ©peignent rien ; elles sont, tout simplement. Ces explosions de couleurs, de textures et lâinstabilitĂ© quâelles suggĂšrent sont liĂ©es Ă lâesthĂ©tique. Le concept de contagion est rĂ©current tout au long de lâexposition. La contagion agit comme marqueur de significations qui se mĂ©langent, dâimages qui fusionnent et dâidĂ©es qui sâinfluencent mutuellement. Lâexposition prend parfois des allures de science-fiction, car elle se dĂ©partit des lieux communs et fantasme lâavenir.
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Artiste alchimiste, Hicham Berrada crĂ©e des univers sĂ©duisants. Lâinfluence de la science (chimie, physique, biologie et informatique) est indĂ©niable dans son Ćuvre. Il occupe une position unique. Les Ćuvres de lâartiste imitent, subliment ou sabotent des processus naturels tels que la croissance, la floraison et la dĂ©composition, et le mĂ©tabolisme.
Son travail mâa immĂ©diatement interpelĂ©e lorsque je lâai dĂ©couvert Ă La PanacĂ©e (Montpellier, 2017). Il a exposĂ© PrĂ©sage, Tranche (2013-2017) que jâai sĂ©lectionnĂ© plus tard pour Fluid Desires. Dans des aquariums, lâartiste compose des paysages sous-marins Ă lâaide dâalcalins, dâacides, dâeau, de minĂ©raux et dâĂ©lĂ©ments tels que le cuivre, le cobalt ou le fer. Ces paysages se dĂ©veloppent lentement et il est frappant de constater que des substances sans vie sont dotĂ©es dâun mouvement et se comportent dâune maniĂšre qui Ă©voque les ĂȘtres vivants. Câest Ă travers ces crĂ©ations quâHicham Berrada exprime le mieux son talent. Les Ă©cosystĂšmes que lâartiste fait naĂźtre bousculent les distinctions entre vivant et minĂ©ral, entre organique et inorganique. Bien que le plomb, lâargent, lâaluminium et dâautres Ă©lĂ©ments que lâartiste utilise dans ses Ćuvres soient dâorigine naturelle, ces mĂ©taux sont en rĂ©alitĂ© des poisons, en particulier Ă forte concentration et dans un espace limitĂ©. Ă une Ă©poque oĂč lâon craint que la nature cesse dâexister, ces paysages chimiques en Ă©volution ouvrent la porte Ă dâautres formes de vie, de mouvement et de beautĂ©.
Hicham Berrada sâintĂ©resse Ă©galement aux concepts de morphogenĂšse et de crĂ©ation. La morphogenĂšse, littĂ©ralement « gĂ©nĂ©ration de la forme », est le processus biologique qui permet Ă un organisme de dĂ©velopper sa forme. Pour Berrada, la morphogenĂšse suppose avant tout de laisser de cĂŽtĂ© les formes stables ou les sculptures achevĂ©es, mais de sâintĂ©resser plutĂŽt Ă des formes en mouvement. Dans ses Ćuvres, il rĂ©vĂšle des phĂ©nomĂšnes physiques indiscernables aux forces Ă©vocatrices et capte des Ă©nergies qui habitent notre monde et nous sont dâhabitude invisibles. Câest peut-ĂȘtre cela qui me frappe le plus chez cet artiste. Hicham Berrada se considĂšre comme un « metteur en scĂšne dâĂ©nergie, un serviteur de la nature qui aide Ă rĂ©aliser certains processus ». Il ne crĂ©e lui-mĂȘme aucune forme, il permet simplement Ă certaines dâapparaĂźtre Ă un moment donnĂ© dans un lieu donnĂ©. Par exemple, dans la vidĂ©o CĂ©leste (2014) que j »ai dĂ©couverte lors de son exposition individuelle au Louvre-Lens (2019) et que jâai ensuite sĂ©lectionnĂ©e pour Fluid Desires, câest le vent qui peint les nuages. Jâai appris Ă connaĂźtre Hicham Berrada que je dĂ©finirais comme un artiste modeste et intelligent qui travaille dur dans son atelier, en contact avec des scientifiques et qui, loin de se soucier des modes, suit son propre chemin.
Nanda Janssen, 2020
Traduit de lâanglais par Elsa Maggion
The work of Hicham Berrada combines intuition and knowledge, science and poetry. In his works, he explores scientific protocols that imitate different natural processes and/or climatic conditions; âI try to master the phenomena that I mobilize as a painter masters his pigments and brushes. masters his pigments and brushes. My brushes and pigments would be the hot, cold, magnetism, light â.
Born in 1986 in Casablanca, Morocco, Hicham Berrada lives and works in Paris and Roubaix, France.
His work has been presented in numerous solo and group exhibitions: at the Louvre-Lens, at the Hayward Gallery in Gallery in London; at the Bernard A. Zuckerman Museum of Art in Kennesaw (United States); at the Punta della Dogana - Pinault Collection, Venice, Italy; MusĂ©e Zadkine, Paris, France; Martin-Gropius-Bau, Berlin, Germany; at the Centre Pompidou, Paris; at the Palais de Tokyo, Paris; at Abbaye de Maubuisson; in the gardens of the ChĂąteau de Versailles; at the Mac Val, Vitry-sur-Seine ; at the macLyon ; at the Fresnoy- Studio national des contemporary arts, Tourcoing ; at the ZKM, Karlsruhe (Germany) ; at the Frankfurter Kunstverein, Frankfurt am Main; MoMA PS1, New York York; ICAS-Institute of Contemporary Arts, Singapore; Moderna Museet, Stockholm and the Banco de la RepĂșblica, Bogota.
He has taken part in several biennials: Yokohama Triennial, Taipei Biennial, Riga Biennial Biennial of Riga, Biennial of Lyon; BIM-Biennale of the Image in Movement, Geneva and Yinchuan Biennale (China). The artist has also realized several performances: at the Villa Medici and the Maxxi, Rome; at the Abattoirs, Toulouse ; at the Mac Val ; as well as during the Nuits Blanches of Paris, Brussels and Melbourne. He has done several residencies, notably at the Villa Medici in Rome and at the Pinault Collection in Lens.
Le travail de Hicham Berrada associe intuition et connaissance, science et poĂ©sie. Il explore dans ses oeuvres des protocoles scientifiques qui imitent au plus prĂšs diffĂ©rents processus naturels et/ou conditions climatiques. « Jâessaye de maĂźtriser les phĂ©nomĂšnes que je mobilise comme un peintre maĂźtrise ses pigments et pinceaux. Mes pinceaux et pigments seraient le chaud, le froid, le magnĂ©tisme, la lumiĂšre ».
NĂ© en 1986 Ă Casablanca au Maroc, Hicham Berrada vit et travaille Ă Paris et Roubaix.
Son travail a Ă©tĂ© prĂ©sentĂ© dans le cadre de nombreuses expositions personnelles et collectives : au Louvre-Lens, Ă la Hayward Gallery Ă Londres ; au Bernard A. Zuckerman Museum of Art Ă Kennesaw (Ătats-Unis) ; Ă la Punta della Dogana - Collection Pinault, Venise, Italie ; au MusĂ©e Zadkine, Paris ; au Martin-Gropius-Bau, Berlin ; au Centre Pompidou ; au Palais de Tokyo, Paris ; Ă lâAbbaye de Maubuisson ; dans les jardins du ChĂąteau de Versailles ; au Mac Val, Vitry-sur-Seine ; au macLyon ; au Fresnoyâ Studio national des arts contemporains, Tourcoing ; au ZKM, Karlsruhe (Allemagne) ; au Frankfurter Kunstverein, Francfort-sur-le-Main ; au MoMA PS1, New York ; Ă lâICASâInstitute of Contemporary Arts, Singapour ; au Moderna Museet, Stockholm et Ă la Banco de la RepĂșblica, Bogota. Il a pris part Ă plusieurs biennales : Triennale de Yokohama, Biennale de Taipei, Biennale de Riga, Biennale de Lyon ; BIMâBiennale de lâImage en Mouvement, GenĂšve et Biennale de Yinchuan (Chine). Lâartiste a Ă©galement rĂ©alisĂ© plusieurs performances : Ă la Villa MĂ©dicis et au Maxxi, Rome ; aux Abattoirs, Toulouse ; au Mac Val ; ainsi que lors des Nuits Blanches de Paris, Bruxelles et Melbourne. Il a effectuĂ© plusieurs rĂ©sidences, notamment Ă la Villa MĂ©dicis Ă Rome et Ă la Pinault Collection Ă Lens.
Being an art historian, Nanda Janssen works as an independent curator and art critic. She is also Councellor of visual arts for the Embassy of the Netherlands in France since 2018. She considers herself as a Dutch liaison in Paris. Since 2007 she has specialized in the Paris and French contemporary art circuit. After two residencies of a year at La CitĂ© Internationale des Arts, the last of which ended in 2017, she decided to stay in Paris. She publishes amongst others in the Dutch art magazines Museumtijdschrift, Metropolis M, See All This and the Belgian magazine Hart. Nanda Janssen curated the exhibitions Fluid Desires (Nest, The Hague, 2020), Eva Nielsen (Selma Feriani Gallery, Tunis, 2017), Bruno Peinado (21rozendaal, Enschede) and Carried-Away - Procession in Art (Museum Arnhem). Furthermore, she proposed the Ceija Stojka exhibition from La Maison Rouge in Paris to the Dutch museum Het Valkhof and subsequently assisted the French curators (2019). In addition, she will be on the committee âmĂ©cĂ©natâ of La Fondation des Artistes (2022-2023). She was one of the jury members of the Royal Award for Dutch Painting (2014-2019), initiated by HM King Willem-Alexander, and committee member visual arts of the Dutch Council for Culture (2015-2017), the legal adviser of the government in the fields of the arts, culture and media.
Historienne de lâart, Nanda Janssen travaille en tant que commissaire dâexposition et critique dâart indĂ©pendante. ConseillĂšre en arts visuels pour lâambassade des Pays-Bas en France depuis 2018, elle se considĂšre comme une liaison nĂ©erlandaise Ă Paris. Depuis 2007, elle est spĂ©cialisĂ©e dans le circuit de lâart contemporain parisien et français. AprĂšs deux rĂ©sidences dâun an Ă La CitĂ© Internationale des Arts, dont la derniĂšre sâest terminĂ©e en 2017, elle sâinstalle Ă Paris. Elle publie entre autres dans les magazines dâart nĂ©erlandais Museumtijdschrift, Metropolis M, See All This et le magazine belge Hart. Elle a Ă©tĂ© commissaire des expositions Fluid Desires (Nest, La Haye, 2020), Eva Nielsen (Galerie Selma Feriani, Tunis, 2017), Bruno Peinado (21rozendaal, Enschede) et Carried-Away - Procession in Art (Museum Arnhem). En outre, elle a proposĂ© lâexposition Ceija Stojka de La Maison Rouge Ă Paris au musĂ©e nĂ©erlandais Het Valkhof et a ensuite assistĂ© les commissaires français (2019). Elle fera partie du comitĂ© âmĂ©cĂ©natâ de la Fondation des Artistes (2022-2023). Nanda Janssen a Ă©tĂ© lâun des membres du jury du Prix royal de la peinture nĂ©erlandaise (2014-2019), initiĂ© par SM le Roi Willem-Alexander, et membre du comitĂ© des arts visuels du Conseil nĂ©erlandais pour la culture (2015-2017), le conseiller juridique du gouvernement dans les domaines des arts, de la culture et des mĂ©dias.
La peinture a naturellement une certaine qualitĂ© liquide. Cependant, il y a assez de peintres qui peignent Ă sec et oĂč la peinture est collĂ©e de façon immuable Ă la toile. Mais il y a aussi des peintres qui mettent cet aspect liquide au premier plan et en font le coeur de leur travail. Prenez JĂ©rĂŽme Robbe. Il laisse la peinture couler librement et crĂ©e une image qui contient une immense temporalitĂ©.
