Musings on a Glass Box ?« Jean Nouvel’s distinctive glass exhibition spaces in the Fondation Cartier have been a provocation to artists and curators for two decades, upending the conventions of the white box gallery and pushing the limits of architecture. The large, transparent walls of the building were at the forefront of glass technology in the ‘90s, aspiring to one of Modernism’s highest goals: to dematerialize the wall and seamlessly connect interior to exterior.

Musings on a Glass Box empties the ground floor galleries in order to put them on display. Their visual and acoustic qualities are heightened through a few strategically placed interventions in the building’s plumbing, electrical, and facade systems. Using a cliché of time lapsed and the appearance of neglect, the project begins with a single, mischievous leak from the ceiling. A response ensues with the aid of a bucket, a chorus, sensors, robotics, remote communications, video, and real-time sound processing. The two ground floor galleries interconnect in a feedback loop. Small gestures in the large gallery are amplified in the smaller one, making the familiar seem uncanny and turning the banal into the grotesque. »?Diller Scofidio + Renfro

The idea for Inhabitants came from David Lynch’s life-sized recreation of a living room, inspired by one of his own small drawings. For Guillermo Kuitca, whose work is filled with references to theatrical interiors, seeing David Lynch’s 2007 exhibition The Air is on Fire at the Fondation Cartier, where the living room was shown for the first time, was an important experience that struck a profound chord. Guillermo Kuitca further explores this encounter by inviting visitors to rediscover a concert given by Lynch and Patti Smith at the Fondation Cartier on October 28, 2011 as part of the Mathematics, A Beautiful Elsewhere exhibition. For Guillermo Kuitca, this event embodied the concept of reinterpretation that underlies his entire project, and he incorporated the concert’s sound recording into his installation. During this unique performance of music and poetry that brought the two artists together on stage for the first time, Patti Smith adapted a text written by Lynch that told the story of an antelope who wanders through a city and observes its people. The phrase "I saw an antelope" returns again and again, like a litany. It provides an echo to Artavazd Pelechian’s film Inhabitants, an ode to nature that depicts images of animals frantically trying to escape from an invisible threat.
Painted in infinite shades of black, white and gray, American artist Vija Celmins’ starry skies converse with paintings by David Lynch.

FRANCE CULTURE

As a partner of the Fondation Cartier for it’s 30th anniversary, France Culture is happy to support the exhibitions Musings on a glass box, Diller Scofidio + Renfro and The Inhabitants, an idea by Guillermo Kuitca. Each year, France Culture supports many cultural and scientific events of great quality. Since its creation in 1963, France Culture has always been a genuine exception in the media sphere and has now more audience and influence than ever before. France Culture Plus, France Culture Papiers, France Culture Forums… Beyond its broadcasts that bring together an audience of more than one million individuals each day, the France Culture galaxy never ceases to astonish and to develop. Listen, listen again, podcast: franceculture.fr

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