ULTRACONTEMPORARY ARTWORKS BRAZIL 11/1 - 28/1 2016

Artworks by Thierry Geoffroy/COLONEL

This book presents ultracontemporary artworks produced by Thierry Geoffroy /COLONEL in connection with his exhibition at Galeria Emma Thomas in São Paulo – Brazil from 11/1 – 27/1 2016. All the artworks were created the same day as they were exhibited, and most of them expressed about emergencies.

The daily changing exhibition is an art format, whose essence has already been formulated in Thierry Geoffroy /COLONEL’s manifesto for moving exhibitions published in 1989. Since then, the format has been realized as numerous exhibitions and actions around the world as well as a spatial construction EMERGENCY ROOM built in museums and art institutions such as MOMA PS1.

The ultracontemporary way of working is a comment on con-temporary not being sufficiently in time. There are a couple of artworks illustrating this critique in the book. For example CONTEMPORARY, ART STILL LIKES TO QUESTION THE CANVAS. It is a toilet chair with one missing wheel on a white canvas. The canvas and the painting are used as symbols for con-temporary art not reflecting about the now but continuing to question the canvas, the pigment, and the frame. We can also see these reflections in works such as TOO LATE, WAW! WORLD’S RICHEST PEOPLE NOW HAVE MORE WEALTH THAN THE POOREST 3,6 BILLION COMBINED. IT IS UNFAIR, CAN PAINT BE A PREVENTION OF DENGUE and IN ADVANCE OF THE BROKEN ARM 28/1 2016.

Even though the production of artworks is being done fast, Thierry Geoffroy /COLONEL’s work includes a great deal of

observation and investigation. He researches as much on the streets as on Internet. His sources of information and inspi-ration can be anything from articles in local newspapers over information found on social media to opinions he extracts from local people or experts. Thierry Geoffroy /COLONEL’s artwork production is like streaming expressions taking shape in different forms and media. Some of the artworks are produced from objects found, collected or purchased in São Paulo, while others are made with materials already established in his repertoire, such as white cotton fabric, cartons, and tents.

Thierry Geoffroy/ COLONEL has been using tents since 1991.Tents can be both looked at as paintings and as sculptures. The artist uses the sides of a tent as a canvas for painted statements. After, each tent becomes a mobile sculptural object. Some of Thierry Geoffroy/COLONEL’s previous tent artworks have been exhibited in The Maldives Pavilion, Venice Biennale, IT; The ZkM Museum, Karlsruhe, DE; Marta Herford - Museum für moderne Kunst, Herford, DE; Kunsthal-le Osnabrück, Osnabrück, DE. (among other places) The tents are also in the collection of Museum of Contemporary Art, Danmark as well as private collections in Paris, Copenhagen, and São Paulo.

Cartons are a diary-like artworks consisting of drawing, text and occasionally glued paper cutouts. They play a vital role in Thierry Geoffroy /COLONEL’s creative process because they capture the raw, unpolished artistic thought. Depending on the moment, the state of mind of the artist and the surroun-ding, the statements on the cartons can range from direct

and sharp to personal and doubtful, also including the con-tradiction as part of authentic and honest communication.

Similar to the cartons and the tents, the banner-like artworks with text on pieces of fabric are expressing artist’s statements in the given circumstances, conditions and situations of the moment. Often they are exhibited on the spot at interna-tional events such as Manifesta, Cartagena/Murcia, ES or Documenta, Kassel, DE.

Some of the important topics being commented during the exhibition at Galeria Emma Thomas in São Paulo were: Zika virus outbreak in Brazil, anti-refugee movements and laws in Europe, demonstrations and police violence in São Paulo, water problems in Brazil, chemical explosion in the industrial port of Santos, Lava Jato operation in Brazil connected to money laundering and corruption in the country, gentrificati-on and real estate speculations in the time of crises in Brazil, toxic mud from Brazilian dam disaster, The World Economic Forum in in Davos and global climate change problems.

A selection of artworks in this book also includes poetic reflections on the artistic process and subjects like the role of the artist in the society, the notion of time, the routine versus the ritual and the syntheses.

This exhibition was realized in collaboration with Juliana Freire, Flaviana Bernardo and Daniel Marchezini from Galeria Emma Thomas and developed thanks to Décio Hernandez Di Giorgi.

Tijana Mišković, curator

Installation view at Galeria Emma Thomas, São Paulo - Brazil

CONTEMPORARY ART STILL LIKES TO QUESTION THE CANVAS18/1 2016, 90 x 60 x 95 cm, toilet chair with one missing wheel on a white canvas

IN ADVANCE OF THE BROKEN ARM 28/1 201628/1 2016, 60 x 50 cm, black marker text and electric mosquito racket on canvas

CAN PAINT BE A PREVENTION OF DENGUE8/1 2016, 12 x 23 cm, color paper print, dry paint and plastic roller tray

GET RID OF ZIKA21/1 2016, 7 X 12 X 4 cm, cotton fabric on pavé stone

IN ADVANCE OF THE BROKEN ARM 21/1 201621/1 2016, 44 x 20 cm, black marker text and news paper cutout on carton

SAMARCO11/1 2016, 28 x 20 cm, black marker text with newspaper clipping on a carton

THE MUD IS COMING 11/1 2016, 60 x 40 cm, black marker on a paintingPrivate collection, Brazil

ABROLHOS MARINE PARK/ THE MUD IS COMING! RUN AWAY! / DAVID BOWIE IS DEAD11/1 2016, 60 x 40 cm, red marker on a painting

NEVER GREEN AGAIN 15/ 12016, 24 x 36,5 cm, red marker on color print and carton

WE FIND BEAUTY IN THE WORLD WE DESTROY 15/1 2016, 20 x 20 cm, black marker on a color print and cartonPrivate collection, Brazil

FEMININO 15/1 2016, 15 x 20 cm, paper print on sign

WATER AND GAZ ON EVERY FLOOR12/1 2016, 2 x 1,40 m 2,2 kg, red and white spray paint on tent

MY YOGA IS NOT GOING TO PROTECT US FROM TOXIC GAZ 16/1 2016, 180 x 50 cm, white spray paint on yoga mat

MY YOGA IS NOT GOING TO PROTECT US FROM POLICE REPRESSIONS 14/1 2016, 180 x 50 cm, white spray paint on yoga mat

BOMBAS DE EFEICTO MORAL 12/1 2016, 160 x 107 cm, black and red spray paint on white cotton fabric

IN BRAZIL CARTONS ARE USED AS PROTECTION 12/1 2016, 45 x 22 cm, red marker and color print on cartonPrivate collection, Brazil

BOMBS EDUCATIVE 12/1 2016, 31 x 26 cm, black marker text with newspaper clipping on cartonPrivate collection, Brazil

EXTERMINADORAS 15/1 2016, 37 x 51 cm, red marker on paper cutout, white paper and carton

CHANGE IN THE STRATEGY /CRIMES7 x 9 cm, 14/1 2016, black marker on a color print and carton

BOTOX FOR COPS 15/1 2016, 34 x 21,5 cm black marker on newspaper cutouts and carton

NÃO A VIOLÊNCIA GRATUITA14/1 2016, 11 x 11 x 5,5 cm, cotton fabric on pavé stonePrivate collection, Brazil

WELCOME CHEAP WORKERS 14/1 2016, 160 x 110 cm, red and green spray paint on white cotton fabric

BOTOX FOR CHOQUE15/1 2016, 127 x 67 cm, black spray paint on white cotton fabric

POLICE BOTOX 8 x 8 cm, 18/1 2016, black marker text on color print and carton

ONLY REFUGEES WITH BELONGINGS THAT CAN BE CONFISCATED BY THE POLICE WILL RECEIVE DANISH FOOD 12/1 2016, 25 x 30 cm, color print and ring on carton

WHAT IS XENOPHOBIA 19/1 2016, 18 x 24 cm, black marker text on color print

WHAT IS XENOPHOBIA 13 x 7 cm, 17/1 2016, newspaper cutout on carton

18/1 2016 18/1 2016, 32 x 17cm newspaper outfit and color print on carton

THE FASCISTS ARE FASTER TO DO EXHIBITIONS THAN THE ANTI FASCIST ARTISTS 12/1 2016, 36 x 15 cm, black marker on newspaper cutout and carton

WHAT IS XENOPHOBIA 9 x 9 cm, 19/1 2016, black marker on color print and carton

THIS DAY IS GOING TO BE REMEMBERED IN DANISH HISTORY 27/1 2016 27/1 2016, 120 x 69 cm, black marker text and emergency blanket on danish birthday paper tablecloth

HOW CAN WE BE OUTRAGED IN TIME BEFORE THOSE UGLY LAWS ARE PASSED 27/1 2016, 162 x 124 cm, red and black spray paint on cotton fabric

TOO LATE 14/1 2016, 90 x 70 cm, red paint on white canvasPrivate collection, Brazil

TOO LATE. THERE IS NOTHING UNDER THE DEAD VOLUME 19/1 2016, 68 x 68, black marker text on a traffic sign

IN SAO PAULO, I TOOK A SHOWER OF 5 MINUTES THINKING ABOUT THE DEAD VOLUME 11/1 2016, 16 x 14 cm, black marker text and drawing on carton

CRIME AMBIENTAL 14/1 2016, 25 x 14 cm, sign with newspaper cutout

VISUAL OPTIMISM 14/1 2016, 26 x 32 cm, black marker text on a newspaper cutout

LAVA JATO20/1 2016, 162 x 98 cm, black and red spray paint on textile banner

THE COLLECTORS ARE IN JAIL 12/1 2016, 86 X 84 cm, red marker on canvas painting

OS COLECIONADORES ESTÃO NA PRISAO 12/1 2016, 164 x 134 cm, red spray paint on white cotton fabricPrivate collection, Brazil

SANCTIONS 18/1 2016, 27x7 cm, newspaper cutout on carton with transparent film tape

THIS IS NOT THE END 11/1 2016, 22 x 13 cm, newspaper clipping on carton

GENTRIFICATION ARTIST 13/1 2016, 51 x 40 cm, black marker on a wood sign

BRANDED PESSIMISM 18/1 2016, 9 x 7 cm, black marker text on newspaper cutout and carton

THE ”CRISIS” IS A TRICK TO MAKE YOU FEEL DEPRESSED AND CONTROL YOU 11/1 2016, 21 x 21, black marker text and drawing on carton

SO MUCH OPINIONS SO LITTLE INVESTIGATION 14/1 2016, 137 x 124 cm, red and black spray paint on white cotton fabric

STARVING FROM WARS 11/1 2016, 13 x 15 cm, black marker text and drawing on carton

WAW ! WORLD’S RICHEST PEOPLE NOW HAVE MORE WEALTH THAN THE POOREST 3,6 BILLION COMBINED. IT IS UNFAIR18/1 2016, 80 x 80 cm, red marker on painting

IT IS NOT SAFE ANY MORE TO BE A GLOBAL TOURIST 16/1 2016, 148 x 55 cm, green, red and yellow spray paint on cotton fabric

DAVOS - TODAY IT IS NOT FOR US/ BUT TOMORROW WE WILL KNOW THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE SECRETS 20/1 2016, 23 x 22 cm, black marker on color print and carton

A TOMORROW MADE TO ERASE THE PAST 12/1 2016, 20 x 12 cm, black marker on newspaper clipping and carton Private collection, Brazil

IMAGES OR POLITIC 14/1 2016, 22 x 22 cm, black marker on a color print

TO COME HERE AND POINT AT DYSFUNCTIONS I TOOK A PLANE AND KILLED A PENGUIN 20/1 2016, penguin on cotton fabric with red marker text

YOU HAVE THE REMOTE CONTROL18/1 2016 , 84 x 76, 13x13, one carton with color print and fragment from a poster sign

IT IS TOO LATE TO WAKE UP 14/1 2016, 57 x 57 x 95, pillow and mask on cardboard box

APATIA E CONTAGIANTE 14/1 2016, 2,2 kg, 2 x 1,40 m, red spray on tent

CAN BEING IN THE NOW BECOME A ROUTINE 26/1 2016, red marker on cotton fabric and wood

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ROUTINE AND RITUAL 13/1 2016, 22,5 x 22,5 cm, red marker on a clock

Thierry Geoffroy / COLONELBorn 1961www.colonel.dk

Thierry Geoffroy, also known as COLONEL, is a French artist, living in Copenhagen, Denmark.

He is a format artist developing art formats, most known being EMERGENCY ROOM, BIENNALIST and CRITICAL RUN.

Thierry Geoffroy / COLONEL has published 6 books and his artworks are are included in international museum collections.

He is Chevalier de l’ordre des Arts et des Lettres.

SELECTED GROUP AND ONE-MAN SHOWS FROM 2007 - 2015P.S.1/ MOMA New York, USA; ZKM Museum Karlsruhe, DE; Sprengel Museum, Hannover, DE; Moderna Museet, the Museum of Modern Art, Stockholm, SE; HEART- Herning Museum of Contemporary Art Denmark, Herning, DK; Plazzo Delle Arti Napoli, IT; The Museum of Contemporary Art, Roskilde, DK; Galerie Asbaek Copenhagen, DK; The Maldives Pavilion, Venice Biennale, Venice, IT; Liverpool Biennial, Liverpool, UK, Manifesta Biennal, Murcia, ES; National Museum Rejkavik, FI; Galerie Olaf Stüber, Berlin, DE, IKM Museum, Oslo, NO; Fries Museum, Leeuwarden, NL; Devron Arts, Huntly, Aberdeenshire, SCO; The Model, Sligo, IR; Fotografisk Center, Copenhagen, DK; Cairo Biennale, Cairo, EG; Blackwood Gallery Toronto, CAN; Galerie Ileana Tounta, Athens, GR; Kunsthalle Osnabrück, Osnabrück, DE.