May 5 – December 31, 2017
BORDERLINE
Oceanographic Museum of Monaco
Philippe Pasqua
BORDERLINE
The Oceanographic Museum of Monaco presents the monographic Borderline exhibition by artist Philippe Pasqua. His monumental works, most of which have been tailor-made for this show, will stand alongside the Museum’s mythical collection to create a unique dialogue.
In his work Philippe Pasqua experiments with the notion of limits. He flirts with the brink, brushes against boundaries and breaks free of them. Violent and raw, his oeuvre disturbs as much as it fascinates, placing the visitor in a dilemma: to gaze intently or to turn away, a mechanism of defense rather than one of indifference. “Pasqua questions, raises concerns and unsettles his audience, but never leaves unmoved. His work provides the ideal trigger for raising awareness in favor of marine and terrestrial life,” explains Robert Calcagno, director of the Oceanographic Museum.
Inspired by the architecture and aware of the environmental commitment of the Oceanographic Museum, the artist offers an exhibition that reflects the sincere and multi-faceted personality of the location. 12 monumental creations, including seven unseen works, occupy the entire space—from the square in the front of the Museum and its panoramic terrace, to the cliff on which the building is perched.
Challenging society about its relationship with nature
Philippe Pasqua’s penchant for the monumental is in contrast with his attraction to the vulnerable and profound. Faults and cracks are shown in size XXL. This instinctive artist does not theorize about his work and leaves visitors free to interpret it. In his view, art goes beyond the spoken and the visible. “Beauty is evocative power,” he explains. A work is beautiful because of the emotion it produces, the blow it deals to the heart.
In this century-old palace dedicated to art and science, the artist expresses his sensitivity and questions his audience’s relationship with nature, death, and rebirth. “Building on these recurrent themes, he plays with the ambiguous connection between mankind and the marine world, a relationship defined by both fear and fascination, in order to confront his audience with the current issues of biodiversity protection,” adds Robert Calcagno.
These environmental concerns are an integral part of the Museum’s DNA and can be seen reflected in Philippe Pasqua’s “Borderline” works, on the borderline between the poetic and commitment.
https://www.e-flux.com/announcements/104470/philippe-pasquaborderline/