29.11... 15.12.2009

Faux Jumeaux 14 presented by Joël Benzakin

At the end of 2008 Michel François had received carte blanche from the S.M.A.K. to determine the exhibition programme in two galleries for more than a year. François chose two identical exhibition rooms and named his project "Faux Jumeaux" (false twins). He asked 15 people to each select two works of art which, although very similar with regard to form or material, were created independently. Which similarities or differences between the two works come to light when ‘mirrored’ in the two identical galleries?

Joël Benzakin presents a Faux Jumeaux with the title of Ceci n'est pas un Elaine Sturtevant...ni même un Mel Ramos!, a mirror presentation of two works by the French artist Bernard Bazile. In the beginning of the 90s Bazile reacted to work by the Californian Pop-art artist Mel Ramos. In the 60s the latter was known for his pin-up paintings in which naked women posed unashamedly with a coca-cola bottle or a gigantic Cuban cigar. He took this further in the 70s by satirising well known paintings – such as Manet’s Olympia (1863) or Botticelli’s Birth of Venus (ca. 1483). Bernard Bazile reacted to this by exhibiting Mel Ramos' pin-up tableaux in 3D and in real time.

Joël Benzakin presents two resurrected Ramos tableaux from 1993 by Bazile. In each room he places a nude woman reclining on an animal skin on a stage.

PERFORMANCE till 15.12.2009
Thursday and Sunday: 14:00 till 17:00.
03.12.2009: 18:30 till 21:30.


Proposition 1 - Michel François
Proposition 2 - Loïc Vanderstichelen
Proposition 3 - Daniel McClean
Proposition 4 - Yves Brochard
Proposition 5 - Guillaume Désanges
Proposition 6 - Laurent Jacob
Proposition 7 - Raya Lindberg
Proposition 8 - Hans Theys
Proposition 9 - Frank Maes
Proposition 10 - Philippe Van Cauteren
Proposition 11 - Rainier Lericolais
Proposition 12 - Christine Macel
Proposition 13 - François Curlet
Proposition 15 - Lea Gauthier
Proposition 16 - Jean-Paul Jacquet