Artists: Benedikt Bock, Emilie Ding & Alizée Lenox, Richard Frater, Thomas Julier, Max Kriegleder, Claire van Lubeek, Léa Katharina Meier, Jan van Oordt, Jean-Charles de Quillacq, Margaret Raspé, Virginie Sistek, Terre Thaemlitz
Exhibition title: L’Effet de serre
Curated by: Sylvain Menétrey
Venue: Abbatiale Bellelay, Saicourt, Switzerland
Date: June 29 – August 18, 2024
Photography: all images copyright and courtesy of the artists and Abbatiale Bellelay
There was no way things could get messed up. A harmonious order, centred on culti-vated Man, a rational being who guaranteed that the universe would run like clo-ckwork. A soul brought to perfection by education, contemplation and action ruled over the flesh, keeping it from slumping into its animal nature. Religion promised beatitude to those who led a just life.
But cracks had been splitting open for a long time. There were attempts to put the pieces back together after each bloody convulsion, but technological “progress” continued to rend the protective fabric. Then protests from the outside began to be heard. Why can’t we women, too, warm ourselves in your greenhouse of sovereignty, gentlemen? Why are we colonised people not entitled to your dignity?
Recriminations broke out all around. Likewise, advocates for the animals, plants, forests, rivers and oceans, all mistreated by human exceptionalism, demanded an end to domination. Inside the tattered greenhouse, some could not accept the de-centring and accusations. Instead of stitching it up once again, they decided that the greenhouse had become a hindrance and had to be burned down. They began building high walls to re-establish borders and constructing spaceships to escape.
Jan van Oordt, Pépinière, 2024. Metal pipes, plastic panels, tarps, 700 x 500 x 2400 cmJan van Oordt, Pépinière, 2024. Metal pipes, plastic panels, tarps, 700 x 500 x 2400 cmBenedikt Bock, What People Want is Not What People Need (Rebekka), 2023. Cardboard, plaster, clay, wood, wig, glasses, 175 x 35 x 35 cmL’Effet de serre, 2024, exhibition view, Abbatiale Bellelay, SaicourtL’Effet de serre, 2024, exhibition view, Abbatiale Bellelay, SaicourtMargaret Raspé, Oh Tod wie nahrhaft du bist, 1972/3. Super-8 digitalized video, 13’25’’Margaret Raspé, Der Sadist schlägt das eindeutig Unschuldige, 1971. Super-8 digitalized video, 5’40’’Left: Benedikt Bock, What People Want is Not What People Need (Günther), 2023. Cardboard, plaster, clay, wood, wig, glasses, 160 x 43 x 43 cm. Right: Thomas Julier & Max Kriegleder, itself, 2024. Automated filing cabinet, 60 x 80 x 100 cmBenedikt Bock, What People Want is Not What People Need (Günther), 2023. Cardboard, plaster, clay, wood, wig, glasses, 160 x 43 x 43 cmVirginie Sistek, Foutue foule, 2024. Wool, wood, beeswax, 150cm x 400 cmVirginie Sistek, Foutue foule, 2024. Wool, wood, beeswax, 150cm x 400 cmVirginie Sistek, Pâtis Tidiness, 2023. Video, 15’03’’
Jean-Charles de Quillacq, Fmaily Work:Travail Fmailial, 2023. Video, 20’30’’Jean-Charles de Quillacq, Fmaily Work:Travail Fmailial, 2023. Video, 20’30’’Jean-Charles de Quillacq, Bébé, 2021. Painted metal, silicon, 92 x 81 x 52 cmBenedikt Bock, What People Want is Not What People Need (Kim), 2023. Cardboard, plaster, clay, wood, wig, glasses, 175 x 40 x 40 cmEmilie Ding & Alizée Lenox, Le paradis n’est que l’horizon de la traversée, Multichannel sound piece with various speakersFront: Thomas Julier, Aftermath, 2024. Laquered PLA, 400 x 400 cm. Back: Claire van Lubeek, Household Haunters, 2024. Various cleaning tools and sticks, variable dimensionsL’Effet de serre, 2024, exhibition view, Abbatiale Bellelay, SaicourtL’Effet de serre, 2024, exhibition view, Abbatiale Bellelay, SaicourtL’Effet de serre, 2024, exhibition view, Abbatiale Bellelay, SaicourtLéa Katharina Meier, Paysage baigné de sueur, 2023. Pastels on paper, 42 × 59,4 cmL’Effet de serre, 2024, exhibition view, Abbatiale Bellelay, SaicourtMargaret Raspé, Fünfundneunzig blau blühende Säulen, 1982. Polaroid documentationJean-Charles de Quillacq, Father Polysexual, 2019. Aluminum, father’s work pants, paper cigarettes, plastic, 73 x 80 x 25 cmClaire van Lubeek, Household Haunters, 2024. Various cleaning tools and sticks, variable dimensionsJean-Charles de Quillacq, Bi-bi, 2023. Epoxy, tarbender, urine, 230 x 35 x 40 cmJean-Charles de Quillacq, Bi-bi, 2023. Epoxy, tarbender, urine, 230 x 35 x 40 cmClaire van Lubeek, Household Haunters, 2024. Various cleaning tools and sticks, variable dimensionsRichard Frater, Invitation Dilemma (Robin, Fågelmuseet, Ottenby), 2022. Archival print; Digital scan of 35mm color film, 26 x 40 cm. Invitation Dilemma (Wood pigeon, Akademie der Künste, Hansaviertel), 2022. Silver gelatin print from 35mm film, 18 x 25 cmRichard Frater, Invitation Dilemma (Robin, Fågelmuseet, Ottenby), 2022. Archival print; Digital scan of 35mm color film, 26 x 40 cm. Invitation Dilemma (Wood pigeon, Akademie der Künste, Hansaviertel), 2022. Silver gelatin print from 35mm film, 18 x 25 cmL’Effet de serre, 2024, exhibition view, Abbatiale Bellelay, SaicourtTerre Thaemlitz, Soulnessless, 2012. Video SD 4:3, 80Margaret Raspé, Fünfundneunzig blau blühende Säulen, 1982 (2024). Buckets, compost, mesh, seeds, 10 m. diameterMargaret Raspé, Fünfundneunzig blau blühende Säulen, 1982 (2024). Buckets, compost, mesh, seeds, 10 m. diameter
