The “Walt Disney Productions” are on display at Bertrand Lavier's current exhibition at Atelier Hermes in southern Seoul. / Courtesy of Atelier Hermes |
 By Ines Min Staff Reporter French artist Bertrand Lavier is not one for black-and-white simplicity. The renowned artist is famous for his contemporary pieces that blur the lines between artwork, reality and ― on occasion ― copyright laws.
"펜텀"을 주제로한 프랑스작가 Bertrand Lavier는 흑백의 단순성만을 지향하는 작가는아니다. 이미 잘알려진 이 작가는 작품과 사실성 사이의 희미한 선으로 만들어진 현대적인 작품으로 유명하다. 다이즘과 작가사이의 경계를 허무는 테크닉을 참조하여 Pop Art에 신선하게 접근하고 있는 작품으로 명성을 떨치고 있다.
서울 인사동 헤르메스 갤러리에서 6월27일까지 옛작품과 최근작을 함께 보여주고 있다.
사실주의와 초현실주의의 차이점이 무었인가?
At his first solo exhibition in Korea, Lavier combines past works with new pieces at the Atelier Hermes gallery in Sinsa-dong, near Dosan Park. Hailed for his fresh approach to pop art, references to Dadaism and skills in demolishing boundaries between fellow artists, Lavier not only creates beautiful work out of modernity, but also succeeds in relating an entire history behind each piece.
The exhibition titled ``Phantoms'' alludes to the idea the French artist passionately confronts: What is the difference between reality and surrealism? The famous and the unknown? From the art of others, Lavier builds something unique from existing pieces and ideas, in order to battle traditional conventions by referencing multiple artists.
Not that they mind. On a meeting with artist Frank Stella, the American effused with admiration. ``He told me, 'Ooh, I like it very much. Perhaps it's better than the original.' But he was very happy,'' Lavier said at the gallery, Wednesday.
In one of his most recognized works, ``Pacific Blue Picasso,'' Lavier uses a single piece from the body of a car, the British Citroen Picasso that first debuted in the 1990s (yes, he did buy the entire car), which was distinguished by the Spanish painter's own signature. Lavier then thickly painted a rich, blue hue onto the part, using wide, rough strokes reminiscent of Vincent van Gogh's, prominently displaying each curve in Picasso's name.
``It's a conversation between the history of arts, certain great artists and unknown artists, with me,'' he said. ``Ultimately, you can appreciate each sculpture or each painting for itself. Even if you don't know Picasso, or if you don't know Frank Stella, or if you don't know African art, you can appreciate the purpose of each one.''
Other noted works include 3D renditions and sculptures based on sketches by Walt Disney, and an installation piece where a Brandt refrigerator is stacked on top of a Fichet Bauche safe ― an abstract analogy to a statue standing on a pedestal.
While some of the pieces at the gallery are reinterpretations of his previous work, others were created specifically for his return to Korea after a decade, such as a piece that references Alexander Calder's hanging sculptures. Watching the work rotate slowly in the gallery's air currents, casting dragon-like shadows over the white walls, one realizes there is nothing unintentional in the entire exhibition.
For the man who loves to find things ``between two points,'' everything is fair game. ``That for me is very interesting, to create something floating in reality.''
``We can play with what we have.''
``Phantoms'' will run through June 27 at Atelier Hermes, located on the third floor of the Hermes flagship building. Open daily from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and closed Wednesdays. Call (02) 544-7722 for more information.
출처 : 코리아타임지 |
