Reunion Island, Off-Shore Territory 10th feb, 2010
Reunion Island, Off-Shore Territory
La Reunion, Terre Offshore
Sakshi Gallery is pleased to present ’Reunion Island, Off-Shore Territory' an exhibition of select works of contemporary art from 10th February to 20th February 2010 by 11 artists hailing from France’s famed Reunion Island. The island is a fragment of Europe situated at a crossroads where Indian, African, Malagasy and European influences co-exist, bearing witness to a rich culture evolved from the unlikely mingling of cultures from far apart. This multiculturalism seeps through works of the participating artists, who exposed to such myriad of influences raise questions concerning multiple identities through hybrid forms of expression. Curated by Francine Meoule, Reunion Island, Off-Shore Territory' features works by Stefan Barniche, Jack Beng – Thi, Patrice Cujo, Jace, Jean Claude Jolet, kid kreol and Boogie, Yohann Queland de Saint – Pern, Gabrielle Manglou, Louis Pavageau and Pascale Simonet.
While all the artists come from different backgrounds, they share the common concern of not being registered and not being classified according to the classic figures of current contemporary art. There is no form of nostalgia in their art; there are no regrets, no resentment. If all of them are opposed to standardized vision of the world, the weapons they resort to are artistic, rather than ideological. The exhibition sheds light on the idea of an extraterritorial space which today can no longer be considered as a defeat, but rather as a promise of the world and the worlds of the future.
Reunion Island exhibition is a part of the Bonjour India festival. It is a traveling exhibition with Sakshi Gallery, Mumbai as its last halt. The show has traveled from Romain Rolland Gallery, Alliance Française de Delhi to Apparao Gallery in Chennai between 2009 - 2010.
About Francine Meoule:
Francine Meoule is a French, Amsterdam-based art historian and independent curator. She has been involved in many exhibitions, events of performing arts and experimental projects. Her recent projects include Traits Contemporains, Indian show in la Reunion, 2008; The Pusan Biennale in Korea, 2008; Thailand here and now in France, 2008 and International Incheon Biennale in Korea, 2007. She is also a consultant with Atelier Jeunes Talents, Centre Geeorges Pompidou in Paris.
