THE PAVILION OF DISCORD — AMA/DSL COLLECTION NEWSLETTER

If you cannot see this message, view it in your browser. Français. Shame in Venice (2015)  Michael Soi Courtesy of the artist The pavilion of discord “Politics in a literary work is like a gunshot in the middle of a concert” Stendhal, La Chartreuse de Parme At a time when preparations are underway for the upcoming Venice Biennale, let's go back to the Kenyan pavilion in the biennale's last edition, that unfortunately drew attention in the same way as a gunshot breaks the harmony of an event that sets the tone in the world of art. Because we are convinced that the West looks Eastward, that the East looks Westward, and that these glances when crossed carry an undeniable fecundity, we have decided to create a weekly newsletter to explore with you the reports which maintain these two artistic spheres. Developed in partnership with Art Media Agency, the newsletter will consider with nuance, irreverence and relevance, the highlights of the international art scene, in line with our values: unwavering support of contemporary creation, transversality, and innovation. Chinese artists are in. You only had to attend the last Venice Biennale to notice their growing visibility in the prestigious Venetian palaces – sometimes where they were least expected. Namely in the Kenyan pavilion, orchestrated by Paola Poponi, that became the pavilion of discord. Indeed, the Kenyan pavilion only showed Chinese artists who had never lived in Kenya nor even drawn inspiration from Kenyan culture, thus inciting the ire of certain local artists. We can understand why.  How did things reach this point? First, this is not a first. In 2013, the Kenyan pavilion presented Chinese artists, overseen by Paola Poponi. Already at that time, noises were made, but did not manage to be heard like they were this year. The story is noteworthy for showing how the art world operates, in other words, at two speeds, according to the principle of two weights, two measures. Indeed, the country has a certain number of artists who could legitimately be represented in – and represent – their national pavilion. According to artist Michael Soi, what is lacking in Kenya, are around 300,000 to 500,000 euros in State grants to finance the pavilion. When money is short, it's always possible to find a lender, but this rarely takes place without conditions being imposed – and the lender's conditions are also rarely artistic. China loves Africa (2015)  Michael Soi Courtesy of the artist The question that comes up is the following: can we accept an event like the Venice Biennale becoming the relay for geopolitical and strategic issues that largely exceed the world of art? It's an integral part of art to act, in its own way, as a means of influence, a vehicle for renown, a type of soft power. But what happens when art is no longer glorified, and no longer allows us to see, feel and understand, but it turns into a mirror of underlying stakes whose magnanimous players are States? It undoubtedly loses its strength, and the debate surrounding the Kenyan pavilion is harmful to everyone, including (and perhaps above all) artists. If art is political, it is as art, not as an instrument for a power other than its own.  Shame in Venice (2015)  Michael Soi Courtesy of the artist This discord leads us to raise these questions. Although the Biennale organisers have denied all responsibility in this story (rightfully arguing that every pavilion is entirely autonomous), there is still a risk of a major meeting between artists and publics turning into a type of masquerade, where national pavilions are no more than folklores, labels, brands, emptied of anchorage and thus of meaning.  Today's art has drawn from ethnological and anthropological research to undo a certain inevitable ethnocentrism. When we seek to meet Others without oversimplifying them, we sometimes risk missing the encounter by remaining unyielding when it comes to identity. It is possibly precisely in order for the notion of identity to recover its problematic, ambivalent and moving element that an event such as the Biennale is meaningful. But this meaning is fragile, subtle, it can be quickly lost, either by a total absorption of difference (ethnocentrism) or by such a global vision that it loses the anchorage of an artwork or artist – an anchorage that is revealed and attenuated as it comes in contact with a larger world, that of art and its entire galaxy. China loves Africa (2015)  Michael Soi Courtesy of the artist dslcollection • AMA dslcollection was found in 2005 by Dominique and Sylvain Lévy and focuses on Chinese contemporary creation. The collection tries to limit the number of art pieces it owns to 350 in order to keep its fresh and singular taste. Through the intensive use of the web and social medias, dslcollection wants to bring knowledge about Chinese contemporary art to the largest possible audience. Art Media Agency (AMA) is a newswire found in 2010 and specialised in the art world. It produces 100 to 150 articles per week (in both French and English) and has an archive exceeding 40,000 texts. The agency also produces a weekly publication sent to 170,000 art professionals and collectors. This newsletter is distributed to 163,135 subscribers. Copyright © 2016 Art Media Agency and dsl collection. All rights reserved. If you do not want to recieve emails from us, you can unsubscribe.