Wednesday, September 11, 2019

COMPRENDRE PAS - Factory 49 Paris, 10 bis rue de Chaligny, 75012 Paris - September 11 to October 5, 2019

Cube Tower detail
I had the opportunity to present work in the Factory 49 project space in Paris.  The project is running for three years showing solo exhibitions of mostly Australian artists.  Each exhibition runs for a month with either the artist doing a residency in the space for the duration; or for three months of each year, Pam Aitken installs and sits the space during the exhibitions.  I went over for two weeks, installing the work and meeting up with many artists during the time I was there, with the exhibition continuing for a further two weeks.

The exhibition consisted of 7 gouache on paper works and 4 oil on canvas works from the 'Nothing to Say Here' series, and a box work 'Cube Tower'.  The 'Cube Tower' was constructed from as many flat-pack boxes as would fit in my suitcase.

I called the exhibition 'Comprendre Pas'  which translates as 'Understand Not'.  I wanted to refer to the misunderstanding/non-understanding of the 'Nothing To Say Here' works which are created from words and appear to follow a code, but do not follow any consistent system.  There is then a second level of misunderstanding when these works are shown in Paris as it depends on the viewers understanding of the English language, and my lack of knowledge of French.  And as a local pointed out, the phrase should correctly read 'Pas Comprendre' - I was aware of this but simply said that I comprendre pas? 


Cube Tower installation
4 x gouache on paper, 29cm x 29cm each, 2015-2017
(works nos 1, 2, 3, 4, see list of works below)
3 x oil on canvas on board, 42.5 x 42.5 each, 2019
(works nos 8, 9, 10, see list of works below)
Purpose Of Art Is Mystery-Magritte, oil on canvas on board, 34cm x 34cm, 2019

Cube Tower installation


LIST OF WORKS
Kate Mackay
Born Sydney 1961, lives in Northern NSW Australia
kate.mackay@activ8.net.au
kate-mackay.blogspot.com
Comprendre Pas 11 September to 5 October, 2019

1. Art Is Everything You Don't Have To Do-Brian Eno, gouache on paper, 29cm x 29cm, 2016. E80
2. The Art Of Simplicity Is A Puzzle Of Complexity-Douglas Horton, gouache on paper, 29cm x 29cm, 2017. E80
3. Art Is The Lie That Enables Us To Realize The Truth-Pablo Picasso, gouache on paper, 29cm x 29cm, 2017. E80
4. The Task Of Art Is To Bring Chaos Into Order-Theodor Adorno, gouache on paper, 29cm x 29cm, 2015. E80
5. No Artist Tolerates Reality-Nietzche, gouache on paper, 29cm x 29cm, 2016. E80
6. A Picture Is A Secret About A Secret-Diane Arbus, gouache on paper, 29cm x 29cm, 2016. E80
7. Painting Is By Nature A Luminous Language-Robert Delaunay, gouache on paper, 29cm x 29cm, 2016. E80
8. Painting Is By Nature A Luminous Language-Robert Delaunay, oil on canvas on board, 42.5cm x 42.5cm, 2019. E350
9. No Artist Tolerates Reality-Nietzche, oil on canvas on board, 42.5cm x 42.5cm, 2019. E350
10.A Line Is A Dot That Went For A Walk-Paul Klee, oil on canvas on board, 42.5cm x 42.5cm, 2019. E350
11.Purpose Of Art Is Mystery-Rene Magritte, oil on canvas on board, 34cm x 34cm, 2019. E250
12.Cube Tower, acrylic on cardboard with yarn, 192cm x 36cm x 36cm, 2019, POA