ART-PRESENTATION: Imaginary Frontiers

Ji Zhou, Map No.4, 2014, Courtesy Boghossian Foundation
Ji Zhou, Map No.4, 2014, Courtesy Boghossian Foundation

The map creates the world: by tracing a line on paper, a boundary is inscribed between two spaces. The composition of a map with its scale, key, centre and periphery, axes, vanishing lines and blank spaces, is the result of a palimpsest of images, references, and concepts ensuing from geographic, historic, social and mental constructs. The collection of these signs are all sources of inspiration, either poetic or political, for the presented artists’ artwork.

By Efi Michalarou
Photo: Boghossian Foundation Archive

The group exhibition “Imaginary Frontiers”  at Boghossian Foundation’s Villa Empain, is dedicated to the theme of borders, both real and imaginary, visible and invisible. Communication throughout the world has never taken so many different forms, using every type of technique; borders, however, are still present… Borders invite us to think about questions related to the themes of interior and exterior, of identity and belonging. This exhibition is built around two sections. The first offers a political version of frontiers, presenting works by artists from infinitely diverse backgrounds but whose inspiration is driven by exile and a quest for identity, the body of which is resolutely political. Nowadays border zones are susceptible to every fear. In order to control access to their territory, certain countries are closing their borders, which are then materialised by walls. The issue of a border’s physicality and the suffering which migrants and refugees are exposed is embodied in the world maps developed by Mona Hatoum. The second part of the exhibition offers works representing cognitive, emotive worlds. Artist Grayson Perry creates the imaginary topology of his dreams and fears in “Map of an Englishman”. The Foundation also presents in situ work created by the Villa’s artists in residence : an interactive sculpture by Aurélie Godard examines the scale and the blueprints of the Villa Empain, Chloé Dugit-Gros created a series of secret cave paintings, as well as a piece by Dong Dawei, which questions the painting’s border. Among other are on presentation works by: Dong Dawei, Chloé Dugit-Gros, Öyvind Fahlström, Mekhitar Garabedian, Aurélie Godard, Mona Hatoum, Walter Leblanc, Grayson Perry, Zhu Rixin, Barthélémy Toguo, Jorinde Voigt and Ji Zhu.

Info: Curator : Louma Salamé, Boghossian Foundation- Villa Empain, Avenue Franklin Roosevelt 67, Bruxelles, Duration 23/2-30/4/17, Days & Hours: Daily 11:00-18:00, www.villaempain.com