CAN IT BE ART?

The blank look on his face when I asked the concierge at the hotel « where was the Mac ?» (musée d’art contemporain), left me somewhat perplex. He asked a colleague who gave me directions on the map….metro, bus then walking….Somehow it didn’t fit the description I had of the place. Thank goodness I finally found it myself. More than 6 kilometers from where I was which would not be difficult on foot but as I had a train to take. I took a taxi there and back. The drivers were both from Marseille and delightful men. Both capting my attention with stories about all the Marseille museums which I have never seen or for that matter, never heard of. Both had taken up « being a taxi driver » when they retired from their real jobs….I had 40 minutes in all of a cultural tour in Marseille!

But we must find another name for contemporary art - especially installations.

First of all, I couldn’t believe that the Mac was celebrating it’s 20th birthday. I had heard about it - was it ten years ago or more? But surely not 20?


The MAC

first gallery

Stephan Balkenhol (1957-)  -

Stephan Balkenhol (1957-)  - dragon 992


This exhibition from the 29th of May to the 28th September was presenting a flash-back to 1994 of works from that period. The works were from César and Jean Tinguely to start of with.


César’s  and his famous Thumb.



César



Gabriel Prazco (1962-) La D.S. 1993

Jef Geys (1934-) Doll Barca Milan1993


A mad machine from Tinguely that when it worked, coughed out balls throwing them all over the place with an women not much younger than me, running around madly to pick them up and put them back.(I just can't work out how to download a video from my Iphone)










Niki de Saint Phalle was there too.


Niki de Saint Phalle (1930-2002)

Niki de Saint Phalle (1930-2002)



But many other artists who I don’t know, and probably will never know. The space was extraordinary and the first time in France I have even seen space used so well…..





















Ajouter une légende








Anthony Cragg (1949-) The Hunter 1989

Anthony Cragg (1949-) The Hunter 1989


however, when I wandered around, I kept on saying to myself - is this really art? Over to you to judge.


 I did like this
Martial Raysse (1936-) 1968

Francois Dufrêne (1930-1982) Queen Tana 1965 and I prefer this to Villeglé

Jacques Villeglé (1926-) Rue de Rémusat 1959

Arman (1928-2005) Azurs - 1968 - fascinating from a distance ....

Yves Klein (1928-1962) -1961 - and we all know this

Valerio Adami (1935-) Il Posto N°5 - 1969

Gilles Aillaud (1928-2005) Pinguins 1972 - Thought it was Adarni

Valerio Adami - Red Camer 1977


Claudio Parmiggiani (1943-) Monumento à Velimir Klebnikov 1987

Giuseppe Penone (1947-) Paiperbra 1977  alright when not in the crowd

Giuseppe Penone (1947-) Time Stucture 1992 - see it alone

Denis Oppenheim (1938-2011) Roots in Cubism, Hearts in the Stars 1984 - not bad

Jean-Pierre Raynaud (1939-) Psycho-objet - Triptyque no°1A 1968

Jimmie Durham (1940-) A Stone asleep in bed at home 2000











Jean-Luc Parant (1944-) Machines to see 1993 - frightening

Jean-Luc Parant (1944-) Machines to see 1993

Daniel Buren (1938-) -1968

Jean-Michel Alberola (1953-) Suzanne and the old ones - 1985 - quite nice

Jean-Michel Alberola  - Shrine 2000

Well really!!!!!

Jan Fabre (1958-)  Nestling of God 2000 - very strong

Arnulf Rainer (1929-) Beethoven dead mask

Daniel Spoerri (1930-) Crutches, still life 1971/76

Shuji Ariyoshi (1959-) Business-Man Shoes 1992

Hervé Paraponsaris (1966-) Sentence 1993/2014

Jan Fabre - Salvator Mundi 2000

Jarg Geismar (1958-) Message in the bottle from me to you 2013 - beautiful usage of space

George Autard (1951-) 2013

Jonathan Borofsky (1942-) Self Portrait at 2,997,615

Tony Oursler (1957-) Couch Piece 1995

Hervé Paraponaris - Looping - 1989

Hervé Paraponaris - Looping - 1989

Commentaires

Lo a dit…
I know art installations are not really your thing but I like what I'm seeing here and I think I would have liked this exhibition. And yes, the Tinguely video works ;-)
25/8/14 17:34
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