Thomas Hirschhorn (Chat Poster) © Photo Martin Argyrolglo

Thomas Hirschhorn (Chat Poster) © Photo Martin Argyrolglo

Thomas Hirschhorn (Chat Poster) © Photo Martin Argyrolglo

Thomas Hirschhorn (Chat Poster) © Photo Martin Argyrolglo

Thomas Hirschhorn

Thomas Hirschhorn (born 1957 in Bern, Switzerland) studied in Zurich (1978-1983) and moved to Paris in 1984. Since the mid-eighties, the artist has been proposing displays (“étalages”, “vitrines”), precarious structures made of materials such as cardboard, aluminium paper, brown adhesive, plastic. Adding photocopies, images cut out of newspapers or magazines, as well as photographs, he writes his comments or questions on recurring themes: culture, economy, politics, religion, with a ballpoint pen. He gradually integrates TV monitors and videos into his devices and now offers mobile and ephemeral installations, showcases of works, which can be placed in the public space.

Chat-Posters

 

Thomas Hirschhorn was to present this spring, at the Galerie Chantal Crousel in Paris, his exhibition “Eternal Ruins” which brought together a series of unpublished cardboard works called “Chat Posters”. Built in reference to the work of Simone Weil, these new pieces mix text, images and smartphone aesthetics. Closed to the public a few days after its opening, the exhibition could only be visited virtually. All 23 Chat-Posters will be visible, for the first time since, in the exhibition of the Ex-Decathlon at BIP2020.

“On large (240 x 125 cm) vertical cardboard supports that are not without evoking the maximized proportions of smartphone screens, Thomas Hirschhorn is redesigning the conversation design of the WhatsApp platform with felt pens. Quotes from French intellectual Simone Weil are then integrated into these contemporary phylacteries: “Love is no consolation. It is a light” or “Beauty is the harmony of chance and goodness”, all aphorisms enunciated by Simone Weil in the 20th century which, in this eminently contemporary form, would seem better able to capture our educated attention to these new modes of exchange”. (https://www.numero.com/fr)

 

crousel.com

 

With the support of Pro Helvetia