Spatial City: An Architecture of Idealism
Mar 31, 2011
(6pm)
Please RSVP
The Graham Foundation and the Cultural Services at the Consulate General of France in Chicago are pleased to invite you to celebrate the book launch of Spatial City: An Architecture of Idealism with a presentation and reception at the Graham Foundation on Thursday, March 31st from 6-8 p.m.
The evening will include comments by Laurence Gateau, Director of FRAC des Pays de la Loire, Nicholas Frank, Curator of the Institute of Visual Arts (INOVA) at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Luis Croquer, Director and Chief Curator of the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit (MOCAD). The presentations will be followed by a toast and reception with the speakers, French Fonds Regional d'Art Contemporain (FRAC) Directors Emmanuel Latreille and Sylvie Froux, Polly Morris, co-editor of Spatial City and Allison Peters Quinn, Director of the Hyde Park Art Center.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Spatial City: An Architecture of Idealism is the catalog from the first touring exhibition in the United States of works from the French Fonds Regional d'Art Contemporain (FRAC). The exhibition takes the work of utopian architect Yona Friedman—and particularly his idea of the “spatial city”—as a point of departure from which to explore contemporary art within the FRAC collections. Spatial City brings together an international, multi-generational array of artists—with an emphasis on artists living in France—whose work contends with utopian thinking and, in counterpoint, the retreat of optimism in the face of pragmatic reality. The exhibition was on view at the Institute of Visual Arts (INOVA) at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee; the Hyde Park Art Center, Chicago; and the Museum of Contemporary Art, Detroit in 2010. The exhibits and catalog were supported by the three venues, Platform (FRAC national organization), the Institut Français, the French Ministry of Culture and Communication and the Cultural Services of the French Embassy in the United States The catalog is published by the Institute of Visual Arts (INOVA) and Platform.
Artists featured in the exhibition include Lida Abdul, Cristian Alexa, Élisabeth Ballet, Yves Bélorgey, Berdaguer & Péjus, Monica Bonvicini, Jeff Carter, Maurizio Cattelan/Philippe Parreno, Jordi Colomer, François Dallegret, Peter Downsbrough, Philippe Durand, Jimmie Durham, Simon Faithfull, Didier Fuiza Faustino, Cao Fei, Robert Filliou, Élise Florenty, Dora Garcia, Ben Hall, Camille Henrot, Séverine Hubard, Pierre Huyghe, Stefan Kern, Bertrand Lamarche, Vincent Lamouroux, Didier Marcel, Raphaël Maze, François Morellet, Sarah Morris, Juan Muñoz, Stéphanie Nava, Philippe Ramette, Sara Schnadt, Kristina Solomoukha, Tatiana Trouvé, Hui-min Tsen, Marie Voignier, herman de vries, Steve Wetzel and Raphaël Zarka.
THE CULTURAL SERVICES OF THE FRENCH EMBASSY IN THE UNITED STATES
The Cultural Services of the French Embassy fosters the best of French arts, literature and education to cultural and academic institutions across the United States with a strong focus on the contemporary.
THE FRENCH REGIONAL CONTEMPORARY ART COLLECTIONS (FRAC)
Since 1983, the French Regional Contemporary Art Collections (FRAC), have played an important part in the history of cultural development in France, promoting and defining the role of art in the life of the country though educational programs, research and the creation of knowledge that improves self-understanding and the understanding of others.
INOVA
Since 1996, the Institute of Visual Arts (Inova) at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee has established an international reputation as a contemporary art research center. The mission of the Institute of Visual Arts is to engage the general and university publics with contemporary art from around the world through exhibitions and programs.
MOCAD
The mission of the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit is to present art at the forefront of contemporary culture. As a non-collecting institution, MOCAD is responsive to the cultural content of our time, fueling crucial dialogue, collaboration, and public engagement.
THE HYDE PARK ART CENTER
The Hyde Park Art Center is Chicago’s place to experience contemporary art. Founded in 1939, the Art Center offers new contemporary art from new and emerging Chicago-based artists, as well as classes and community programs. All Hyde Park Art Center exhibitions are free and open to the public seven days a week.