A Magnetic Space ? Pierre Coulibeuf

Entitled "Enigma", acclaimed French video artist Pierre Coulibeuf’s first solo exhibition was unveiled on April 12 at YUAN Space in Beijing. As a highlight of the 2013 Sino-French Culture Spring, the exhibition presents the artist’s exceptional videographies to explore a humanistic search into the conflicting worlds of the internal and the external that captures a profound sense of “French melancholy”.

Pierre Coulibeuf has been engaged with video art over the last two decades. Having directed more than 30 short and feature-length films, Coulibeuf’s works are adaptations of other genres of artistic expression, including, drawing, dance, performance, photography and literature. The artist has presented his work on many international film festivals, as well as presenting them as video installations (video-graphs) on exhibitions through the contemporary art network. His artworks are widely collected by various art museums today, and have become a critical vehicle in exploring contemporary European culture.

In his creative process, Coulibeuf is keen on adopting the virtual and distorted image to represent the relationship between fiction and reality. Among his works, the mirror, the white wall or the tangled bodily games allows the audience to be quickly immersed in an introspective atmosphere. Moreover, other artists’ works are also his constant source of inspiration. For example, the artworks in this exhibition are inspired by Pierre Klossowski, Jan Fabre and etc.

This exhibition is YUAN Space’s continuous experiment to focus on contemporary artists and the emerging artistic genres since its solo exhibition by Peruvian artist, Grimanesa Amorós in China in 2012. After its premiere in Beijing, the exhibition will travel to the Museum of Sichuan Academy of Art, Chongqing, on June 10th.

【Artworks】

Dédale ? Pierre Coulibeuf

Dédale 2 ? Pierre Coulibeuf

Dédale

This experimental fiction inspired by the universe of the Brazilian painter Iberê Camargo as well as álvaro Siza's building in Porto Alegre. The particular, labyrinthine shape of the building conceived by álvaro Siza for the Iberê Camargo Foundation determined the actual form of Dédale. In the film, this building represents a mise en abyme.

A Magnetic Space ? Pierre Coulibeuf

A Magnetic Space 2 ? Pierre Coulibeuf

A Magnetic Space

Inspired by Canadian choreographer Beno?t Lachambre’s universe, the work touches on the sphere of the supernatural. An interplay of multiple energies links the characters to the natural elements—air, water, plant and mineral—leading to strange, instinctual body movements. These characters move about in a magnetic space where corporal language takes the place of the verbal.

LE DEMON DU PASSAGE ? Pierre Coulibeuf

Le Demon Du Passage

The film reconstructs fictitiously the chain of mental images that surge up from the visions of photographer Jean-Luc Moulène.

Delectatio morosa ? Pierre Coulibeuf

Delectatio Morosa

The picture Delectatio Morosa has been created from a shot of Pierre Coulibeuf’s short film Klossowski, peintre-exorciste. It is emblematic of the artist’s works: as a matrix or a key concept for all the pictures made; the themes of double, becoming, multiple identity, play, work as a reflection or simulacrum, are the operators of Coulibeuf’s works.

About YUAN Space

“YUAN”, in traditional Chinese is referred to the origin of all beings. YUAN Space wishes to embrace art with passion of a newborn and to receive its visitors with the humility of a novice.

YUAN Space is a non-profit organization that aims to present art exhibition of the highest standard in order to offer its viewers rare opportunities of viewing masterpieces of art. Located at the city center of Beijing, its space occupies approximately 1,000 square meters. In order to guarantee an excellent viewing experience, the space has adopted the by-appointment-only model, to allow the beauty of the artworks be fully revealed in this outstanding exhibition condition. Besides its exhibitions, YUAN Space is also devoted to unveil the irreplaceable importance of these artworks in the history of art of the world through its series of public education programs.

Exhibition duration: April 13th – May 30th, 2013, 11:00-17:00 (Closed on Sunday & Monday, by appointment only)

YUAN Space address: 20th Floor, Tower B, Jiaming Center, No. 27 Eastern 3rd Ring Road North, Chaoyang District, Beijing

Courtesy of the artist and YUAN Space.