Category: theme-07

Baxter&

Posted on by Nathan Jones

Iain Baxter&

Project for a Monument to the Anthropocene

The famous “&” that Iain Baxter& uses in many of his works is central to his monument proposal. Through the form of a labyrinth or a double-sided “&,” Iain Baxter& places humans in a maze or before a pivot. In his propositions, the articulation between man and earth is constantly replayed, in every space and at every moment.

Artist Bio

In 2005, Iain Baxter& officially added an ampersand (the “&”) to his surname, thereby incorporating the interconnected character of his work, which is focused on interaction and articulation, into his own name. As early as 1966, he founded the company N.E. Thing Co to carry out his artistic endeavors, with the corporate objective of developing “sensitive information.” With a touch of humor, he adopts an entrepreneurial and administrative tone, pushing it to a certain absurdity. While his work is rooted in conceptual art, of which he is a pioneer, it cannot be reduced to mere language games, as it directly addresses issues related to the representation of the world, technology, and the relationships between nature and culture.

Themes: hope, care, commoning

Category: Edifices

Chambaud

Posted on by Nathan Jones

Etienne Chambaud

Project for a Monument to the Anthropocene

“Build a geothermal plant on the rock of Gibraltar to induce a permanent human feverish temperature on its summit (to vary between 39oC and 41oC. Temperature in excess to said feverish temperature shall be evacuated in the air (steam). No human use of said excess shall be allowed.”

Artist Bio


Étienne Chambaud, born in 1980 in Mulhouse, France, studied at Ecole cantonale d’art de Lausanne (ECAL), Villa Arson in Nice, and Ecole nationale des Beaux-Arts (ENBA) in Lyon. In 2022, he earned a PhD from the SACRe program of PSL University, Ecole Normale Supérieure, and Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts, Paris. Working and residing in Paris, Chambaud’s multidisciplinary practice challenges conventional categories imposed on experiences, objects, and disciplines. His works, ranging from individual pieces to installations and exhibitions, destabilize notions of art’s definition, the artist’s conceptualization and production process, and the form and history of exhibitions. Through his beautiful and complex creations, Chambaud offers a transformative experience, altering viewers’ perceptions and understanding. He has participated in residency programs such as EMPAC in Troy, NY (2017), and his solo exhibitions include “Lâme” at LaM – Lille Métropole Musée d’art moderne, d’art contemporain et d’art brut, Villeneuve-d’Ascq (2022), “Negative Knots” at La Kunsthalle Mulhouse, Mulhouse (2018), and “Color Suite” at Palais de Tokyo, Paris (2009).

Themes: atmosphere, climate, oceans

Category: Edifices

Barry

Posted on by Nathan Jones

Robert Barry

Project for a Monument to the Anthropocene

“The number of words will be determined by the size of the site, they must be in a perennial material such as metal or stone. The letters will be approximately 20/25 cm from the base to the top.”

Artist Bio

Robert Barry, born on March 9, 1936, in The Bronx, New York, is an American artist renowned for his contributions to Conceptual and Idea art. A graduate of Hunter College, where he later joined the faculty, Barry has been producing non-material works of art, installations, and performance art since 1967. He is known for pushing the boundaries of art by exploring invisible media to express the unknown or unperceived. Barry’s early works, such as “Carrier Wave,” “Radiation Piece,” and “Inert Gas Piece,” challenged conventional notions of art objects and perception. His piece for “Prospect ’69” exemplifies his focus on the ideas evoked rather than the physical object itself. Barry’s work has been featured in international events like the Paris Biennale (1971), Documenta in Kassel (1972), and the Venice Biennale (1972). Represented by Yvon Lambert Gallery in Paris and New York, his works are included in prestigious collections worldwide, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, the Musée d’Orsay in Paris, and the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC.

Themes: hope, care, commoning

Category: Images