posted by Charles H. Russo on Sep 29
Eden Morfaux is sending a shout out into the streets of Paris. Or, better, the ultimate tool for a shout out: A series of eight gleaming, white pulpits displayed for a day at Le Cube Rouge, normally a boutique showing classic 50s/60s furniture (Charles Eames, Arne Jacobeson, George Nelson), then deposited on a corner or sidestreet or park in the 14th arrondisement. (Below, one of Eden’s pieces in the Parc Montsouris). Morfaux is clearly an artist with a social vision and a minimalist aesthetic: Parisians speaking out to anyone willing to listen. He will close out his exhibition tomorrow, Sunday, by placing the last piece not far from Denfert-Rochereau, a gift to street people, passersby and kids to do with what they choose. “One of the pieces was smashed in two,” he says. “The others have endured rain, a little grafitti, pigeons.” (See Eden’s site for more images of the works scattered about in public places).
“A pulpit for me is a tool,” argues the artist. “It authorizes speech, supports humanity, and of course puts him or her on a pedestal. When we’re standing on a pulpit it’s our turn to speak, to express ourselves. My idea to offer these pulpits to Parisians and give them the opportunity to make a speech, create exchanges,” he says.
“When Eden explained his idea to me, I found it extremely fascinating and generous, and so I offered my gallery space to him for the duration of the project,” says J?r?me Godin, Le Cube Rouge (below). Godin, Morfaux and a team of friends completely emptied out the boutique, painted the walls white, installed a black carpet and an overhead flourscent lamp, then posted up a map of the 14th arrondisement and wall drawings of each of the sculptured pulpits.
Eden’s sculptures join a pantheon of 60s-70s artists like Richard Artschwager who remade chairs, tables and everyday objects in ways that skirt their functions and played on their aesthetics: Here are sculptures that function like something else, created for one space, dropped in a public space to play out yet another. High-end soapboxes for any and all who want to climb up on them and make some noise or let loose their poetice musings. A Sunday brunch is planned for the last day of the exhibition, tomorrow, 30 September. Come, see and hear: Le Cube Rouge, 11 Rue Lalande, 75014. Contact: Eden Morfaux.
theparisblog.com
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