Modern Nature , an hommage to Derek Jarman at La Becque

Artists: Adrien Chevalley, Karim Crippa, Chelsea Culprit, Audrey Danza, Marie Griesmar, Jean-Yves Le Baron, Julie Monot, Garrett Nelson, Florence Peake and Eve Stainton, Prem Sahib, Simon Fisher Turner, Marius Valente, Rhinoplasty, Judith Vrancken

Exhibition title: Modern Nature, an hommage to Derek Jarman

Curated by: Elise Lammer

Venue: La Becque, La Tour-de-Peilz, Switzerland

Date: September 18 – December 1, 2019

Photography: All images copyright Julien Gremaud and Diana Martin for imei-co and Elise Lammer

Note: Full press release can be found here

La Becque and Elise Lammer Launch First Part of Derek Jarman-inspired Modern Nature project Conceived jointly by the Basel-based curator and the new Swiss artist residency, located on the shores of Lake Geneva, the project comprises the development of a garden conceived as an homage to Derek Jarman’s Prospect Garden. Within the grounds of La Becque, the garden will act as a platform for artistic interventions over several seasons. The first episode of the project gathers over a dozen international and Swiss artists for performances, lectures, installations, film screenings and concerts revolving around the work of Jarman.

In Summer 2019, La Becque | Artist Residency, located in La Tour-de-Peilz, Switzerland, started developing a garden and artistic program inspired by the work and life of filmmaker, artist and writer Derek Jarman (31 January 1942–19 February 1994). Along with numerous feature and short films, paintings, sculptures, diaries and essays, Jarman left behind an extraordinary garden that he developed around his cottage, on the southeastern English coast of Kent, until his death in 1994. Despite the adverse coastal conditions (rough shingle beaches, constant biting wind and sea mist), Jarman’s garden flourished. Since its inception in 1986, the place has become an acclaimed “total” work of art, visited by many among Jarman’s admirers and friends, during his lifetime and after.

Curated by Elise Lammer, Modern Nature includes the development of a garden composed of local and native species integrated into the pristine lakeside spaces of La Becque, the commissioning of site-specific artworks as well as thematic film screenings, performances and music events. Taking its name from Derek Jarman’s second volume of diaries, which dedicates the majority of its pages to the Dungeness garden, Modern Nature takes on and e1xpands upon the driving themes of La Becque, an artist residency dedicated to exploring the relationship between nature, the environment and technology through the arts.

The first part of the project opens to the public with a three-day festival and open air exhibition taking place inside the freshly blooming garden, from 13 to 16 September, 2019. This first iteration of the project features performative and sculptural interventions, talks, film screenings and musical performances from a range of international and Swiss artists, some closely associated to Derek Jarman, some newcomers to his work:

Adrien Chevalley, Karim Crippa, Chelsea Culprit, Audrey Danza, Ecar, Marie Griesmar, Julie Monot, Garrett Nelson, Florence Peake and Eve Stainton, Prem Sahib, Simon Fisher Turner, Marius Valente / Rhinoplasty, and Judith Vrancken

In partnership with several local and international art institutions, the Modern Nature project will develop for at least a year with a series of artistic events and contributions echoing the work of residents at La Becque, while responding to the body of research developing around Derek Jarman.

All events, both those taking place at La Becque itself and those co-produced with external partner institutions, are open to the public at large.

Julie Monot, Invoke to Evoke (2019), Series of glazed ceramic masks, and performance, Duration and dimensions variable, photo: Julien Gremaud, Diana Martin

Garrett Nelson, Desperate Water (2019), Red earth, canvas, wood, pine tar, and performance, Dimensions variable, photo: Julien Gremaud, Diana Martin

Adrien Chevalley, Cailloux (2019), Glazed sandstone, beach towel, Dimensions variable, photo: Julien Gremaud, Diana Martin

Adrien Chevalley, Clés Perdues (2019), sandstone, 50 x 20 x 3 cm, each, photo: Julien Gremaud, Diana Martin

Adrien Chevalley, Untitled (2019), ceramic, Dimensions variable, photo: Julien Gremaud, Diana Martin

Adrien Chevalley, Chapeaux (2019), Concrete, glazed sandstone, 35 x 15 x 15 cm, each, photo: Julien Gremaud, Diana Martin

Prem Sahib, One Up, One Down (2019), 222 black tiles with a gloss finish, 225 x 30 x 30 cm, each, photo: Julien Gremaud, Diana Martin

Prem Sahib, Archway (2019), 280 black tiles with a gloss finish on the interior and a mat finish on the exterior, 225 x 135 x 30 cm, photo: Julien Gremaud, Diana Martin

Prem Sahib, Modern Nature (Single Purple Column) (2019), 124 lilac-colored tiles, 225 x 30 x 30 cm, photo: Julien Gremaud, Diana Martin

Marie Griesmar, Zanichellia; Chara; Myriophyllum from the Benthic Zone series (2019), Terracotta and metal, ø 50 cm x 290 cm, ø 30 cm x 250 cm, ø 50 cm x 270 cm, photo: Julien Gremaud, Diana Martin