Les Ateliers de Rennes 2014. PLAY TIME

Why today has work become our sole source of self-validation? As adults, do we still have the right to play? Should we be dedicating more time to idleness?

In our work-oriented culture, especially in the protestant north, we have been told since the Middle Ages that idle hands are morally suspect. Since the Industrial Revolution, our hitherto self-organized manner of working—and playing—has been standardized, made to fit the factory whistle and the office clock. What has this done to our understanding of play time?

Appropriating the title of Jacques Tati's most famous commercial flop, the 4th edition of Les Ateliers de Rennes – biennale d'art contemporain takes a Hulotesque stroll through the field of contemporary artistic practice. Exploring notions of work, play, idleness and the time we devote to each, PLAY TIME is structured around three international group shows that take place at La Halle de la Courrouze (a former military arsenal), at the Rennes Museum of Fine Arts and at the Frac Bretagne.

Bringing together the work of established and emerging artists, new commissions and existing works, PLAY TIME approaches the exhibition simultaneously as a playground and a place of work, a space and time of possibility in which artists and audience can play together.

Artists in PLAY TIME: Michael Beutler, Cosima von Bonin, Lilian Bourgeat, Nicolas Chardon, François Curlet, Sam Curtis, Michael Dans, Denicolai & Provoost, Dewar & Gicquel, Florence Doléac, Jimmie Durham, Priscila Fernandes, Robert Filliou, Marianne Flotron, Michel François, Fucking Good Art, Gaillard & Claude, Ane Hjort Guttu, Pierre Huyghe, Ann Veronica Janssens, Sven 't Jolle, Gaspar Libedinsky, Erik van Lieshout, Maider López, Emilio Lopéz-Menchero, M/M (Paris), Erwan Mével, Gareth Moore, Mrzyk & Moriceau, Oscar Murillo, Rivane Neuenschwander & Cao Guimarães, Jean-Marc Paquot, Bruno Peinado, Hugues Reip, Hans Schabus, Franck Scurti, Katarina Ševic, Pilvi Takala, Jay Tan, Koki Tanaka, Pierre Tatu, Christophe Terlinden, Tehnica Schweiz, Thomas Tudoux, Donelle Woolford

Curator: Zoë Gray

As an extension to the biennale, six monographic exhibitions will be presented in contemporary art spaces across Rennes and the region of Brittany, featuring artists whose work is also present in PLAY TIME's group exhibitions. These exhibitions are: –Oscar Murillo at 40mcube (Rennes) –Gareth Moore at La Criée centre d'art contemporain (Rennes) –Fucking Good Art at Le Cabinet du livre d'artiste (Rennes) –Priscila Fernandes at Phakt Centre Culturel Colombier (Rennes) –Koki Tanaka at Passerelle Centre d'art contemporain (Brest) –Ane Hjort Guttu at Le Quartier Centre d'art contemporain (Quimper)

There will also be a number of collaborations with local partners, including the Ecole Européenne Supérieure d'Art de Bretagne.

Les Ateliers de Rennes 2014. PLAY TIME
Contemporary art biennale 4th edition

artists:
Michael Beutler, Cosima von Bonin, Lilian Bourgeat, Nicolas Chardon, Francois Curlet, Sam Curtis, Michael Dans, Simona Denicolai / Ivo Provoost, Daniel Dewar & Gregory Gicquel, Florence Doleac, Jimmie Durham, Priscila Fernandes, Robert Filliou, Marianne Flotron, Michel François, Fucking Good Art , Patrice & Claude Gaillard, Ane Hjort Guttu, Pierre Huyghe, Ann Veronica Janssens, Sven´t Jolle, Gaspar Libedinsky, Erik van Lieshout, Maider Lopez, Emilio Lopez-Menchero, M/M Paris, Erwan Mevel, Gareth Moore, Mrzyk & Moriceau, Oscar Murillo, Rivane Neuenschwander & Cao Guimaraes, Jean-Marc Paquot, Bruno Peinado, Hugues Reip, Hans Schabus, Franck Scurti, Katarina Sevic, Pilvi Takala, Jay Tan, Koki Tanaka, Pierre Tatu, Christophe Terlinden, Tehnica Schweiz , Thomas Tudoux, Donelle Woolford.

curators:
Zoe Gray