Coup de Foudre at Maison van Doesburg

Artists: Danielle Van Ark, Karina Bisch, Martin Boyce, Gerbrand Burger, Valentin Carron, Anna Ostoya, Thomas Raat, Alan Reid, David Renggli, Wim T Schippers, Nicoline Timmer, Ola Vasiljeva, Marianne Vierø, Roman Wolgin

Exhibition title: Coup de Foudre

Organized by: Danielle van Ark and Thomas Raat

Venue: Maison van Doesburg, Meudon, France

Date: October 19 – 29, 2017

Photography: all images copyright and courtesy of the artists

The exhibition Coup De Foudre presents the work of an international group of artists in the context of one of the best known artists’ homes from the interbellum that is still in use as a studio-house. Theo van Doesburg designed it for himself and his wife Nelly towards the end of the 1920s, in Meudon-Val-Fleury, a suburb of Paris. The house was completed at the end of 1930. Even before it was furnished and the paintwork finished, Van Doesburg died, aged 47. After his early death, Nelly, Theo’s widow continued to live in Meudon for the rest of her life.

Currently we – Danielle van Ark and Thomas Raat – are ‘artist in residence’ at the Maison van Doesburg. Not long after we moved in we felt the need to challenge the somewhat rigid atmosphere of the house. We decided to organise an exhibition in the spirit of Nelly. Nelly had a big influence on the legacy of Theo van Doesburg. While living in Meudon she surrounded herself with the work of Theo and his contemporaries and her international contacts have played a significant role in promoting the avant-garde. For example, she advised Peggy Guggenheim building her collection.

Nelly immediately fell in love when she first met Theo van Doesburg and remarked “I think that’s what they call coup de foudre,” which is a french term for ‘falling in love’.

For us coup de foudre also served as a benchmark when selecting the artists for this exhibition.

It helped us to find direction and proved it was possible to get the exhibition together in a very short period of time.

Perhaps a curator would have worked differently, but we intentionally didn’t approach the exhibition from an art-historical or art-theoretical perspective. This exhibition is made by artists and we have chosen works with strong suggestive and visual impact. Coup De Foudre focuses on the transformation of the concept avant-garde within the context of a homely setting. With this exhibition we hope to shed an alternative light on the 100th anniversary of ‘De Stijl’, founded in 1917 in Leiden by Theo van Doesburg, exactly 100 years ago.

With this exhibition we want to emphasise the ‘human side’ of this unique studio house, which contrasts sharply with the compelling modernist structure of the house. The works of a large group of international artists are naturally integrated into daily life. In and around the house, the boundaries between ‘exhibiting art’ and ‘living with the art’ are challenged.

The presence of (dis) functional forms and (use) objects generates a poetic atmosphere adding a third aspect to the dubble function of the studio house, that of exhibition space.

A short period in time, not only for us as temporary residents, but also for the exhibited works to find an imaginary “home”.

Valentin Carron, Des Dalles Des Frites, 2016, Bronze, 2 x 58 x 68 cm

Coup de Foudre, 2017, exhibition view, Maison van Doesburg, Meudon

Martin Boyce, Evaporated pools, 2009, Paraffin coated crepe paper, Dimensions variable; Wim T Schippers, Deel 4 van de pracht, 1961, Metal, plastic,resin, paint, 29 x 81 cm

Coup de Foudre, 2017, exhibition view, Maison van Doesburg, Meudon

Gerbrand Burger, Untitled, 2016, Stone veneer, 55 x 34 x 14 cm

Daniëlle van Ark, Not titled, 2017, Magazines, (Artforum / Vogue), ceramic, 78 x 52 cm

Ola Vasiljeva, The Moon Comes Gliding, 2017, Glass, silkscreen on rug, 160 x 220 cm

Marianne Vierø, 2017, exhibition view, Maison van Doesburg, Meudon

Nicoline Timmer, Polyphonic vase #1, 2015, Black clay glazed, 28 x 36 cm & 32 x 33 cm (on Theo van Doesburg table)

Ola Vasiljeva, Vestibule (parrot), 2012, Glazed ceramic, 86x36x7cm; Daniëlle van Ark, It took us years to get here, 2016, silver plated shoes, Dimensions variable

Roman Wolgin with Jacob Hieronymus, 2017, sound installation Conversation about own imperfection, depression of girlfriends and “de Stijl” movement in the context of the present contemporaneity, oil paint, 25 x 25 cm

Alan Reid, Male Sexuality, 2017, painted MDF and steel, 14” x 10” x 3/4”

Wim T Schippers, Dwalon, 2016, Various materials, 18.7 x 24.7 cm

Nicoline Timmer, Polyphonic vase #2 (W.), 2015, Black clay glazed, 28 x 36 cm & 32 x 33 cm

Daniëlle van Ark, It took us years to get here, 2016, silver plated shoes, Dimensions variable; Martin Boyce, Evaporated pools, 2009, Paraffin coated crepe paper, Dimensions variable

David Renggli, Good Vibe Gong, 2016, Hammered steel, 97cmx7cm

David Renggli, Good Vibe Gong, 2016, Hammered steel, 55cmx4cm

Anna Ostoya, Uncle Me in a Maidan Cloak, 2016, 61 x 51 cm; Morphisms, 2016, 61 x 61 cm; Screens and Screems, 2016, 61 x 51 cm

Karina Bisch, The Sonia Dress, 2014, Raffia and fabrice, 118 x 87 cm

Thomas Raat, 2 chairs from the series Standards, 2015, Metal, wood, paint, Dimensions variable; Nicoline Timmer, Polyphonic vase #1, 2015, Black clay glazed, 28 x 36 cm & 32 x 33 cm, Martin Boyce, Evaporated pools, 2009, Paraffin coated crepe paper, Dimensions variable

Coup de Foudre, 2017, exhibition view, Maison van Doesburg, Meudon

Thomas Raat, Untitled, 2011, Bronze coated wood, nut veneer, 179.5 x 49.5 x 29.5 cm

David Renggli, Krippe, 2016, steel, verf, brins de paille, 90 x 110 x 70 cm