Both James Thornhill's 'Under-Development' solo show, then his 'Nurseryworld' (curated group show — including me) and the 'nurseryworld / swan-machinery' 4-track c.d (by myself, Kris Delacourt and Nico Dockx, Curious, Antwerp / Galerie Jennifer Flay, Paris) were all early 2003.
That was when much of France was under water (latterday Raymond Roussel Raymond Roussel Raymond Roussel Raymond Roussel Raymond Roussel's 'Ballet Sous-Marin'!), which also froze over. 'Pied-A-Terre Lumiere', Rut Blees Luxemburg's public artwork (a glazed walk-on and lit-up photo lightbox, in Place De Laurieres, Bellevue, Nantes — a "zone-sensible" banlieu) fell victim to the weather. My text about that proved prophetic or even causing of misfortune.
I remember seeing much of this devastation from the (Nantes to Paris) train. Half-submerged farmland and houses. A bridge, which floated away, then stuck when the deluge became solid ice. Some unspecified "lycanthrope" or “virago’s familiar” scuttling across one of these skating-rinks, seemingly maybe in the process of transformation into another creature or being.
Around the Rue Louise Weiss area, pompiers scaled buildings to hack off icicles lest they fell and caused harm.
Returning to Nantes one time, the power was blown in my atelier building — so i stayed elsewhere that night and watched alan partridge videos. Also, 1st time i ever noticed the Jenny Holzer Jenny Holzer "truisims" public art project on the Palais De Justice facade.
Recital on James Thornhill’s indoor bridge (replacing removed steps),
'Nurseryworld', launch event, Galerie Jennifer Flay, Paris, 2003.
©, Copyright, Anaïd Demir, 2003
('Swanmachinery/Nurseryworld') live event by Douglas Park in collaboration with Kris Delacourt & Nico Dockx, as part of ‘Nurseryworld’ exhibition project organized by James Thornhill, Jennifer Flay gallery, Paris
('Swanmachinery/Nurseryworld') live event by Douglas Park in collaboration with Kris Delacourt & Nico Dockx, as part of ‘Nurseryworld’ exhibition project organized by James Thornhill, Jennifer Flay gallery, Paris
Somewhere, way beyond the furthermost surviving and rejected leftovers from the recently departed past, it is known full well and often played upon (but kept top-secret, never discussed openly) that there lie remnants of a long since lost pre-era, been and gone even before then, occurring in a non-space, apart from all others, by now just about completely forgotten, only almost barely remembered –and yet learnt off by heart, forever thought of and felt for, no matter how faraway. Despite justified preferability and every single universal desire, dream, urge, hope and wish being really always about them –they are not necessarily innocent, safe and enjoyable by any means; although the pragmatic and functional desperate need to escape and abandon this side and end of things, in favour of reaping benefits and improvement offered elsewhere, far outweighs any mere threat or real risk. However, enforced terms of STRICTLY NO THOROUGHFARE/ALL ENTRY FORBIDDEN/OUT OF BOUNDS/OFF LIMITS/KEEP OUT apply inflexibly throughout -as well as it being nearly impossible or at least severely difficult to find and return to this earliest time and distant place again, whether for short-term visits or a permanent one-way-trip; anyway, such expeditions themselves are fraught with treacherous conditions, problematic setbacks and threatening dangers, plus, an outcome of empty-handed disappointment is a sure likelihood, if nothing worse, rather than anything else more adverse happening. When and wherever they actually went to and are hidden, banished into exile, how and if that can ever be reached, the seductive haunting attraction and irresistible lure is infectious and addictive; all those who get involuntarily drawn, held and caught by the grip and clutches of this imprisoning embrace, fall into and stay put under unbreakable and reversal-proof charmed curse magical spell damnation enchantment. Constantly, optimistic hope and belief in promises of closeness to hand, waiting around the next corner, any moment now –prove to be near miss after near miss. Nonetheless, reliable evidence suggests everything there has stayed the same, well preserved, without change, as they were left -but, also, probable certainty that upon discovery and arrival, instead of the customary warm and generous welcome-back and homecoming reception expected, entry and membership is subject to selective and conditional acceptance policies, still, not without loopholes, of course….
Douglas Park, 2003
Jennifer Flay (nota bene: invite flyer for ‘The Gallery Has been Completely Vandalised’, 2000.
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
nurseryworld = (originally / PRE "claire fontaine"!):
'Nurseryworld', group exhibition, curated by James Thornhill, Galerie Jennifer Flay, Paris, 2003
texts & spoken-word tracks,
1.) ‘Nurseryworld’ & 2.) ‘Swan Machinery (Or, Lucky-Dip Holy-Communion Stock-Exchange)’,
on 'nurseryworld / swanmachinery', c.d single, also with remixes by Kris Delacourt and Nico Dockx, Galerie Jennifer Flay, Paris, 2003
('Swanmachinery/Nurseryworld' original/remixes -- cure006), audio CD-rom by Douglas Park, in collaboration with Kris Delacourt & Nico Dockx, concept & production: Nico Dockx & Kris Delacourt (Curious/ releases), Antwerpen Belgium, ltd.ed.: 40 copies (out of print)
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