Claire Fontaine: ‘Nurseryworld’. Pre “Claire Fontaine” planned site-visit and trophy salvage to an empty derelict building — coming to nothing when upon arrival with relevant equipment needed — the building was no longer there anymore, having been demolished to make way for the garden area of some luxury home developments. However, this change was in keeping many of the original concerns, hopes and interests the artist had in the name of the premises and issues arising. There is a photo of the exterior, a (later) written and recorded prose text of the same name by Douglas Park, a remake of the shopsign and (possibly?) a miniature model of the building exist (and other material / work?).
©, Copyright, Douglas Park, 2009
From ‘Artists and their Work’ (English / French, translated by Jean-Philippe Convert, Sonya Dermience and Constance Barrere Dangleterre), 'By Accident', group exhibition catalogue, Douglas Park, Komplot, Brussels / Le Commissariat, Paris, 2009
©, Copyright, Douglas Park, 2009
Image, ©, Copyright, Claire Fontaine
reading, 'Counter-Poison', Claire Fontaine, exhibition reception, Garage, Brussels, 2008
The France-based, politicomeddity (politico / comedy / commodity!) duo, Claire Fontaine, showed work right up and all over Komplot's atmospheric Garage project and event space. Claire Fontaine were also showing elsewhere in Brussels, at Sorry, We're Closed view-from-the-street window. Outside Garage, Claire Fontaine's neon-signage text, 'Capitalism Kills Love', flashed away; while indoors, James Thornhill's PRE(!) Claire Fontaine and solo, dramatic, spectacular and devastating 'Counter-Poison' videowork ran looped on a large screen (charting movement through the ruined former Mecca entertainment venue in Glasgow, way back in the 1990's).
Earlier, I wrote 3 texts about 'Counter-Poison' and other such James Thornhill works, which I'm sometimes invited to recite -when these and other JAMES THORNHILLS get redated and shown as being Claire Fontaines. At the launch event, I recited this unholy trinity. 2 are spoken-word tracks, 1.) ‘Nurseryworld’ and 2.) ‘Swan Machinery (Or, Lucky-Dip Holy-Communion Stock-Exchange)’, with 2 "remixes", on 'nurseryworld / swanmachinery', 4-track c.d single, with Kris Delacourt and Nico Dockx, Curious, Antwerp / Galerie Jennifer Flay, Paris, 2003. Invited contribution to 'Nurseryworld', group exhibition, curated by James Thornhill, Galerie Jennifer Flay, Paris, 2003. My 'Counter-Poison' text never had any exposure or outlet before. 'Nurseryworld' and 'Counter-Poison' are now both on Komplot's website kmplt.be. Some of my recital at Garage is posted on youtube. The year before, I chose, introduced and recited 'Swan Machinery (Or, Lucky-Dip Holy-Communion Stock-Exchange)', as my party-trick at the 'Open Hustings' (“Lightening Talks”), various guest-speakers, umpired by Steven Mykietyn and Ella Barclay, organised by Future Academy Studiolab, St Cecilia’s Hall, Edinburgh, 2007 (part of Dr Clementine Deliss' Edinburgh School of Art "meisterklasse"). With my full consultation and involvement, Fulvia Carnevale (the other Claire Fontaine member or "assistant") has translated these texts into Italian, but without any usage, yet.
The day after, I visited Wiels Kunsthalle (not far from -and also the providers of Komplot's more recent premises), then showing a partial retrospective of Mike Kelley. There I met the expatriot Australian artist, Simeon Nelson (creator of hybrids between minimalism, high-modernism and other perfection, with gothic ornament and even more dark and grotesque tendencies). It came back to me! Simeon Nelson was showing around the corner in 'La vie en rond', a group show at Marcus Bering and Tilman's H29. I knew that was on –and was where I’d meet with Sonia Dermience and people who would drive me to the Eurolines® bus at Brussels-Noord. After going around the Mike Kelley show, myself and Simeon Nelson made our way to H29. I remember talking with Kurt Ryslavy there, about the Viennese "Aktionist" Rudolf Schwarzkogler, amongst other subjects. Before being taken to the bus, myself and others went to a private house, sometimes used for art events. Some people were meeting there. Otherwise, somebody channel-surfed, just when the loathed U.K frat-boy presenter (of car and motoring program, 'Top Gear'), Jeremy Clarkson, was on T.V! Jeremy Clarkson and others were rally-driving, somewhere in sub-Saharan Africa. What it was to attempt introduction, explanation and description (but not justification) of Jeremy Clarkson to those fortunately unfamiliar with them! Some beers later, I was dropped off to await the bus and bade everybody farewell.
reading, 'Unbuilding', Claire Fontaine exhibition reception, Caterina Tognon Arte Contemporanea, Venice, 2010 http://www.caterinatognon.com/fontaine2010.html
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