EXPO CHICAGO and the Palais de Tokyo Announce Artists for 'Singing Stones', Off-site Exhibition

EXPO CHICAGO, The International Exposition of Contemporary & Modern Art, with the Palais de Tokyo in Paris, the Institut français and The DuSable Museum of African American History, in partnership with Cultural Services of the French Embassy in the United States, announce the 13  artists that will create work for the first U.S. satellite exhibition of Palais de Tokyo. The large-scale, off-site exhibition, Singing Stones (working title), will launch the sixth edition of EXPO CHICAGO (September 13 – 17, 2017) with an opening reception on Tuesday, September 12 at The Roundhouse on the DuSable Museum campus, running through October 29, 2017 to align with the Chicago Architecture Biennial.  

“We are thrilled to announce the artists selected for the Palais de Tokyo Hors les Murs program—in addition to featuring work by emerging international artists, the exhibition underscores EXPO CHICAGO’s commitment to supporting Chicago-based artists as part of an international dialogue with one of the most renowned contemporary art institutions in Europe,” said Director of Programming at EXPO CHICAGO Stephanie Cristello. “As we extend beyond the five days of the exposition, the model of this exhibition partnership in alignment with the Chicago Architecture Biennial marks a new paradigm in EXPO CHICAGO’s programing.”  

Singing Stones, curated by the Palais de Tokyo’s Katell Jaffrès brings together thirteen emerging artists from both the Chicago and French art scenes, including guest designer Andrew Schachman, to explore the multiple relationships between art and architecture. Presented within The Roundhouse, designed by Burnham & Root in 1881, the selected artists will create an intimate dialogue between original productions and pre-existing works. The oldest building in Washington Park, the former horse stable was a vibrant center of activity for almost half a century, before being closed to the public. The Hors les Murs exhibition reimagines the 17,000-sq. ft. space, allowing this architectural structure to be rediscovered as the DuSable enters a new phase of its development. With the renovation and extension of The Roundhouse, The DuSable Museum, will become the largest African American museum campus in the United States. Its rotunda will soon feature educational spaces and exhibitions, Hors les Murs being the first.  

By hosting artwork produced by another artist, both the Roundhouse and the new work alludes to a relationship with openness to otherness and to the world. Three of the selected artists, Wilfrid Almendra, Thomas Teurlai and the Floating Museum collective, will create site-specific installations, in dialogue with the architectural envelope that surrounds them. Each of these works distinguish themselves by providing a support, or a frame, to welcome the works of other artists, while their structures exist as artworks themselves. Materializing the idea of a public space as a site for cultural exchange, the Floating Museum installation hosts the work of Florian Pugnaire and David Raffini. Teurlai explores the invention of forms for our bodies through a misappropriated use of technology, while Almendra uses sculpted space and matter, creating a form of circulation in which the visitors’ bodies activate the empty spaces. In conjunction with these structures, Raphaël Zarka’s modular sculptures reveal the urban practices born from modern appropriations, while Dorian Gaudin breathes movement into objects. Guillaume Leblon exploits the ambiguity of matters and forms to sketch out the beginnings of narration. Daniel G. Baird’s sculptures propose forms and displays that play on our perceptions, our knowledge and our preconceptions. Through the use of film, Bouchra Khalili examines the question of power and oppression, via contemporary voices, anchored in history. Cauleen Smith activates the architecture of The Roundhouse by calling in the spectrum of time through sunlight, while Lola Gonzàlez’s video images convoke our imaginary to examine the close bonds that tie us all together. Finally, guest architect Andrew Schachman acts on the scale of the building to create a genuine experience of the site in its permanent relationship between the works of artists and the space.  

“The singularity of The Roundhouse makes it an ideal space to develop the exhibit outside of Paris,” said Jaffrès. “The structures or ‘stations’ that the artists will create will each act as an architectural intervention within the exhibition, inducting action into the exhibition space, and creating an accommodation and correspondence between the sculptures, installations or video works by the other artists in the show.”  

In keeping with that same artistic focus, the Palais de Tokyo Hors les Murs exhibition program provides artists with the opportunity to engage in a strong dialogue exploring the notions of volume and space. Presented within the context of the Chicago Architecture Biennial, Singing Stones will offer an exceptional opportunity to widen this focus, exploring the way the artists can incorporate some of architecture’s own processes into their practice. The program uses art to encourage a more introspective exploration of an individual’s relation to architecture and space.  

As previously announced, the project will begin with a residency partnership at Mana Contemporary Chicago, allowing select international artists to produce new work in Chicago. Artists will begin the residency August 1 and will stay in Chicago through the opening weekend of EXPO CHICAGO where they will participate in public programming surrounding their work at The Roundhouse. Full schedule to be announced.  

The satellite exhibition during EXPO CHICAGO is the first iteration of a new international three year-program developed by Palais de Tokyo and Institut français. The program aims to build special operations to shed light on a new generation of artists and to support their first presence in new territories. Each operation will take place in the context of major international art events, such as a biennial or fair. This new programming initiative is supported by the Institut français and the French Ministry of Culture and Communication.  

ABOUT THE ARTISTS    

Wilfrid Almendra:  

Born in 1972 in Cholet (France), Almendra lives between Marseille and Casario (Portugal). In 2017, he produced a piece chiming with the architecture of Palais de Tokyo for the Little Palais space, devoted to educational activities. He was nominated for the Prix Meurice and the Prix Maif for Contemporary Art in 2010, and was awarded an Audi Talent Award for Contemporary Art in 2008. He is represented by Bugada & Cargnel (Paris).

Daniel G. Baird:  

Born in 1984 in Edison, Baird earned his MFA from the University of Illinois, Chicago, in 2011. In recent years, he has had solo exhibitions at such venues including, Thereof, Plaque, Granite City Arts and Design Destrict, St. Louis; Field State: Daniel G. Baird. He is represented by Patron Gallery (Chicago).

Bouchra Khalili:  

A Moroccan-French artist born in Casablanca in 1975, Khalili studied Film at Sorbonne Nouvelle and Visual Arts at the École Nationale Supérieure d’Arts de Paris-Cergy. She lives in Berlin and Oslo. Khalili’s work has been internationally exhibited and her latest project, The Tempest Society, is currently on view at documenta 14, both in Athens and Kassel. She is represented by Galerie Polaris (Paris) and ADN Galeria (Barcelona).

Dorian Gaudin:  

Born in 1986 in Paris, Gaudin now lives in New York. He studied at the École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs, Paris. In 2017, Palais de Tokyo will present his first solo show in an arts centre (Rites and Aftermath, Paris, France), after having displayed one of his works as part of its Hors les Murs exhibition Your Memories are our Future alongside MANIFESTA 11 Zürich (2016). He is represented by Dittrich & Schlechtriem Galerie (Berlin) and Nathalie Karg Gallery (New York).

Lola Gonzàlez:  

Born in Angoulême (France) in 1988, Gonzàlez lives between Brittany and Paris. After graduating from the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts de Lyon in 2012, she is now in residency at Le Pavillon Neuflize OBC, Palais de Tokyo’s creation laboratory. She was awarded the Prix Meurice for contemporary art in 2016, and is represented by the gallery Marcelle Alix, Paris.

Guillaume Leblon:

Born in 1971 in Lille (France), Leblon lives in Paris. In 2011, he was a nominee for the Prix Marcel Duchamp. He is represented by Galerie Jocelyn Wolff (Paris); carlier | gebauer (Berlin) and Galerie Projecte SD (Barcelona).

Floating Museum:  

Is a collective that creates temporary site-responsive museum spaces, and interactive spaces that engage local artists, historians and organizations in events that challenge traditional museum thinking and generate community engagement and conversation. Floating Museum consists of artists Faheem Majeed, Jeremiah Hulsebos-Spofford, Avery R. Young and Andrew Schachman.

Florian Pugnaire & Da vid Raffini:

Florian Pugnaire (born in 1980) and David Raffini (born in 1982) work between Brussels and Paris. Alongside their personal practices, they have been working as a duo since 2008. In 2015, they were awarded the 17th Prix d’entreprise Ricard.

Cauleen Smith:  

Born in Riverside, California in 1967, Smith now lives in Chicago. She is an interdisciplinary artist whose work reflects upon the everyday possibilities of the imagination. Smith studied with Trinh T. Minh Ha, Angela Davis and Lynn Hershman-Gleeson at San Francisco State University. She is represented by Corbett vs. Dempsey (Chicago) and Kate Werble Gallery (New York).

Thomas Teurlai:  

Born in 1988 in Meaux (France), Teurlai lives in Bagnolet, France. He is currently in residence at the Pavillon Neuflize OBC, the Palais de Tokyo’s creation laboratory. Palais de Tokyo presented his work as part of an off-site show at the Pavillon in Athens, alongside documenta 14 (Prec(ar)ious collective, Greece, 2017) and in a module, in 2014. He is represented by Loevenbruck gallery, Paris.

Raphaël Zarka:

Born in 1977 in Montpellier, Zarka is a graduate of the Winchester École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts de Paris. His work in the broad field of sculpture takes in a large variety of media: photography, sculptures, drawings, videos and texts. He is represented by the Michel Rein (Paris/Brussels) and Luciana Brito (Sao Paulo, Brazil).

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Andrew Schachman:  

Guest architect Schachman designs environments, infrastructures and installations. He is the Executive Director of two organizations that are experimental spaces for delivering arts and culture within existing metropolitan networks: Floating Museum and Fieldwork Collaborative Projects. Trained as an architect, he designed and managed projects for the offices of Zaha Hadid, Perkins and Will, Carol Ross Barney and Doug Garofalo.

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For more information on each artist, visit www.expochicago.com.  

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About EXPO CHICAGO  

EXPO CHICAGO/2017, The International Exposition of Contemporary and Modern Art, is presented by Art Expositions, LLC at Navy Pier’s Festival Hall, hosting more than 135 leading International exhibitors presented alongside one of the highest quality platforms for global contemporary art and culture. Now in its sixth year as a leading international art fair, EXPO CHICAGO (September 13–17, 2017) offers diverse programming including /Dialogues, IN/SITU, IN/SITU Outside, EXPO VIDEO, the Curatorial Forum, the Art Critics Forum, Special Exhibitions, EXPO Projects and OVERRIDE | A Billboard Project. In addition, EXPO CHICAGO continues to publish THE SEEN, Chicago's International Journal of Contemporary & Modern Art. Under the leadership of President and Director Tony Karman, EXPO CHICAGO draws upon the city’s rich history as a vibrant international cultural destination, while highlighting the region’s contemporary arts community and inspiring its collector base. In 2017, EXPO CHICAGO and the Chicago Architecture Biennial (September 16–January 7, 2018) will align, establishing the city as a preeminent destination for global contemporary art and architecture, intersecting across a wide variety of programs including panels, international residencies, exhibitions and citywide events. In addition, EXPO CHICAGO partners with the Palais de Tokyo in Paris for its first U.S. satellite exhibition to kick off EXPO CHICAGO (September 12) at the Roundhouse at the DuSable Museum of African American History.  

Vernissage, the opening night preview benefiting the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, takes place Wednesday, Sept 13, 6–9 p.m. General Admission to the exposition is Thursday, Sept. 14–Sunday, Sept. 17 (for hours please visit expochicago.com). Tickets to the exposition will go on sale in June 2017. Northern Trust is the Presenting Sponsor of EXPO CHICAGO. For more information about EXPO CHICAGO and EXPO ART WEEK (Monday, Sept. 11–Sunday, Sept. 17), visit expochicago.com.

About Palais de Tokyo  

Established in 2002 and dedicated to contemporary art, Palais de Tokyo welcomes today’s generation of artists and is the largest center for contemporary art in Europe. Palais de Tokyo “Hors les Murs” program offers off-site exhibitions held during major international art events.  

Previous projects include Zürich, in parallel to Manifesta 11 (June 2016), as well as in Singapore (January 2016), an exhibition co-produced with the ICA Singapore and presented on the occasion of Art Stage Singapore. Palais de Tokyo has also organized two participations at the Lyon Biennale (2013 and 2015) and the traveling exhibition “Inside China” coproduced with the K11 Foundation during Art Basel Hong Kong 2015 and in Shanghai. Projects have also been developed with MoMA PS1 and the Stedelijk Museum in 2014. palaisdetokyo.com

About The DuSable Museum of African American History  

The DuSable Museum of African American History is one of the oldest institutions of its kind in the country. Our mission is to promote understanding and inspire appreciation of the achievements, contributions and experiences of African Americans through exhibits, programs and activities that illustrate African and African American history, culture and art. The DuSable Museum is a Smithsonian Institution Affiliate. The DuSable Museum of African American History gratefully acknowledges the Chicago Park District’s partnership, and also thanks United Airlines, the official airline of the DuSable Museum for its support. dusablemuseum.org

About The Cultural Services of the French Embassy  

The Cultural Services of the French Embassy provides a platform for exchange and innovation between French and American artists, intellectuals, educators, students, the tech community, and the general public. Based in New York City, Washington D.C., and eight other cities across the US, the Cultural Services develops the cultural economy by focusing on six principal fields of action: visual and performing arts, literature, cinema, the digital sphere, French language and higher education. www.frenchculture.org