The Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, M.A.M.A.C is hosting an exhibition on Bernar Venet until January 13, 2019.
This exhibition revolves around mathematical objects, a paradise for lovers of equations, logarithms, geometric figures, and theorems. In the 1960s, Bernar Venet found himself in the United States where he pushed conceptual art to its limits.
At first glance, one might be overwhelmed by the artist’s message. In all art, there is a message. We need the keys to decipher the displayed works. The artist takes on the role of a scientist, and already the approach becomes easier. Weather, graph paper, space research, stock market prices, and baskets. We get it, we are evolving amidst numbers, schemes, and square roots, Pythagoras is not far away.
Having left Nice for New York, Bernar Venet became the master of the conceptual revolution in 1970. The scientific language at the “zero” degree of expression opposes the poetic and expressive language. Everything is numeric, there is no place for Balzac with Bernar Venet.
The image is rational: 1+1=2; no metaphors. He turns mathematical reality into art, reconciling literary and scientific minds. After all, perhaps there is poetry and rhyme in numbers? The conceptual years or math in all their splendor! One phrase captures our full attention:
“There is only one way! Prove wrong what is already established, change the constitution.” This is the desire to reconcile the relationship between artistic creation and scientific knowledge. Perhaps Bernar Venet wanted to make science abstract? An unanswered question, since each person will have their opinion on this subject based on whether they are more scientific or literary.
In any case, an exhibition that one cannot remain indifferent to, you either love it or don’t, Bernar Venet challenges our certitudes with his conceptual years.
Thierry Jan
