A Way to a Place is composed of seven works selected from Edouard Levé’s ‘Oeuvres, a book describing 553 artworks Levé thought about but never produced. Methodically following the author’s instructions, Busson created a series of pieces exploring the notions of territory and mobility as well as the relationship between representation and exploration of the geographical space. The exhibition, which included drawing, photography, performance and video, also investigated the issues related to authorship and collaboration in the context of contemporary art.
The exhibition brought together a series of map drawings which played with the conventional representation of space as a way to reflect on the ever changing and disparate nature of people’s global perception and sense of place.
In parallel – alluding to Michel de Certeau’s claim that any exploration constitutes a challenge to the abstraction the map represents (‘The practice of everyday life’, 1980) – the exhibition proposed a series of pieces where the act of walking in the city was used as a medium.
Oscillating between mere activation and loose interpretation of Levé’s ideas, the show aimed to challenge over-dependence on intellectual individuality in favour of a non-territorial and dialogic approach. A Way to a Place was presented concurrently at –able Kulturverein in Berlin and at the James Taylor Gallery in London. The exhibitions responded to the physical specificities of each space and the works adopted different material forms in each show. Each presentation of the project involved a collaboration with other artists. Sabine Jamme presented a performance during the course of the exhibition at –able. The exhibition at the James Taylor Gallery was co-curated by Julia Crabtree and William Evans.
Stephanie busson 