Mathieu Mercier

ARC presents a monograph by Mathieu Mercier, a French artist born in 1970. By bringing together emblematic pieces created since 1993 as well as original pieces for the very first time, this exhibition casts a "retrospective" look at a body of work that has never been seen in its totality before, neither in France nor abroad.

Mathieu Mercier's area of investigation is at the crossroads of two modern projects, the goal of which is to redefine the place of the object, in art and in everyday consumption. When the first of these projects -- the ready-made -- aims at transposing a common object into art, the second one -- industrial by nature -- seeks to integrate art to our everyday life.

Hybrid and self-contained, the artist's creations defy categorization. He offers new coherences born of unexpected combinations: a "Mondrian" shelf made from everyday products (Drum and Bass, 2002), an armored door made in mirror polished stainless steel leaning against a wall (Porte Blindée, 2001), a shapeless sea creature in a fish tank with highly architectural lines (Holothurie, 1999), a neon loop hanging from a hook like a rope (Sans titre, 2004), a petanque boule welded to a steel bar (Sans titre, 2004)…

By integrating the public's interpretative mechanisms, and acting as mirror instruments, Mercier's pieces are readable on multiple levels. Thanks to a conjunction of mixed signs, materials, uses, and concepts, they induce the viewer into experiencing a paradoxical emotion, wavering between humor and confusion -- twisted away from their original purpose, the objects are both familiar and intriguing.

To complement the exhibition, a catalogue will be published with texts by Fabrice Hergott, Julia Garimorth, Lionel Bovier, Julien Fronsacq, Jörg Heiser, Vincent Pécoil, Elisabeth Wetterwald. Graphic design: deValence. Editions Paris-Musées. 120p. Colour.

The exhibition Mathieu Mercier is organized with the generous support of the Galeries Lafayette Group

Director: Fabrice Hergott Head of ARC department: Angeline Scherf Curator: Julia Garimorth

Mathieu Mercier
Sans Titres 1993-2007
Ort: ARC/ Musée d'Art moderne de la Ville de Paris