13 Mar 2012

Web residencies in LA CHAMBRE BLANCHE

Within the framework of the second edition of the 'Géographies Variables' program, LA CHAMBRE BLANCHE will welcome the artists Martin Bureau (Quebec) and Mathilde Chénin (France) to its Web residency, from March 12th to April 22nd 2012.

Martin Bureau's practice is concerned with the notions of geopolitics, colonization and the impact of systems. During his residency at LA CHAMBRE BLANCHE, he will focus on the prevailing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East by considering the problematic surrounding the wall between Israel and the West Bank. With a view to gaining an understanding of the origins of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the artist will conduct extensive research, in the form of painting, narrative/essay work, and an experimental documentary film. His residency at LA CHAMBRE BLANCHE will be an opportunity to begin a work of animation that replays, from a metaphoric perspective, certain aspects and moments in the history of the conflict. Bureau's residency will prepare the way for the artist's research on the ground in the West Bank, and his plan to see for himself the consequences of the wall on everyday life in the region.

With her project 'Architecture relationnelle', Mathilde Chénin wishes to deepen her exploration of the notion of distance. To this end, she plans to create 3D 'architectural models' indexed to the movement and the distance of bodies between them. By means of simple pictorial elements, the artist wishes to reveal the ways in which architectural spaces are updated by the movement of the bodies which evolve in them. Chénin's interest in the idea of shaping the possibilities of 'relational architecture' involves a study of the modes in which physical spaces are inhabited. During her residency at LA CHAMBRE BLANCHE, her wanderings in the city will inform an exploration of the ways in which places are 'embodied' by those who frequent them. She will present this work in the form of video sequences that feature abstractions created from her findings in architectural spaces.

About Géographies Variables

Géographies Variables is a France-Quebec artistic exchange project featuring Web/digital art residencies. The project was founded by Julie Morel from incident.net and LA CHAMBRE BLANCHE, to facilitate exchange between artistic communities, with a particular focus on practices that engage the Internet.

About LA CHAMBRE BLANCHE

Founded in 1978, LA CHAMBRE BLANCHE is an artist-run centre with a mandate to promote experimentation and dissemination in the field of visual arts. More specifically, this mandate hinges on an exploration of installation and site-specific practices, spanning four concerns: dissemination, production, documentation and training. Its residency programs, Web laboratory and documentation centre form the mainspring of this exploratory activity. LA CHAMBRE BLANCHE is located in the cultural heart of the city, in a district that houses many artists' studios, artisans, schools of arts and crafts, as well as other artist-run centres.

LA CHAMBRE BLANCHE affords a prominent place in its programming to the dissemination of projects by artists from the international scene. In recent years, the centre has increased its exchange programs, to include Brazil, France, Italy and Japan. These exchanges not only enrich the cultural landscape of the city, they also contribute to the growth of the practices of Quebec artists internationally.