23’17’’ was born out of the collective reflection of Dominique Blais, Pascal Broccolichi, Dominique Petitgand and Jérôme Poret, four artists working with sound. Each of these artists will be using the exhibition space at Mains d’Œuvres to propose a new creation, each of which is conceived with the specificity of this space in mind. The works produced for this occasion will bear witness to an interest that these artists have in common : the way that sound, depending on its nature and physical source, can transform differently our perception of space and time. To this end, each work will establish a unique relationship with the exposition space, revealing itself distinctly as part of a succession of acoustic compositions, broadcast one after another so as to avoid mutual interference. Invited to wander among the pieces as he listens, adapting himself to the rhythm of each sequence, the viewer will have to directly engage his role as listener-spectator.

Artists present 23’17’’

*Dominique Blais will present an installation that originated in his project for the residence Arts aux Pôles at Ny-Ålesund (Svalbard, Norway). During the Summer of 2008, Blais was welcomed into the French-Gerrman base (AWIPEV) of this village—considered to be the northernmost habitation of the planet—to record Very Low Frequencies (VLF). Samples of these recordings will be emitted by a constellation of spherical speakers installed in the ceiling.


* Pascal Broccolichi’s work engages directly with the architecture of Mains d’Œuvres. Placed on the floor it allows us to feel the exhibition space by a play of continuous frequencies creating complex harmonics. Following the same principle as in his previous works Sonotubes and Hyperprisme, Loop is built on specific acoustic rules.

* Dominique Petitgand will install his piece along the angle of the entryway and in the main exhibition space. Five sources of sound will emit voice fragments that will, together, compose a story.

*Jérôme Poret will install a hybrid object along one of the walls : a cross between a screen, a painting, and an audio speaker, backed by a crescendo of sound and light. This piece will use recordings of the daily activity at Mains d’Œuvres.

The coordinated presentation of these works in space, matched by their non-simultaneous broadcasting, will provide the occasion for remarkable combinations, as every sound installation, at the same time as it utilizes the exhibition space as a whole, will enter into temporary juxtapositions with the visual elements of the others.
Curator : Isabelle Le Normand with the help of Annabel Rioux

More information :

English_version

Exhibition September4 th – October 25th 2009 Opening reception Friday, September 4th > 8 PM – Midnight The exhibition is open from Thursday to Sunday from 2 to 7 PM and on appointment. Free entrance.

En partenariat avec :

This exhibition received the support of the General Council of Seine-Saint-Denis