- Venue
- La Maiso Bleue
- Starts
- Friday, May 18, 2018
- Ends
- Monday, May 21, 2018
- Address
- Vic Fezensac, Gers
- Location
- France
- Organiser
- La Maison Bleue, Vic Fezensac France
La Maison Bleue, Vic Fezensac, Pentecôte a Vic, France
presents
Paul Chisholm
Fanfare – OOMPAH OOMPAH
May 18th-21st 2018
Vic Fezensac – Coinciding with the Pentecost Festival of Vic-Fezensac, La Maison Bleue will host the exhibition of the new works by British artist Paul Chisholm. Titled “Fanfare – OOMPAH OOMPAH”, the exhibition will run from May 18th to May 21st, 2018
.
Chisholm’s artistic practice revolves around conceptual explorations of identity, gender and politics, and it incorporates works completed in different media including painting, photography, installation and objects. Regardless of the material, his works possess a strong communicative quality, bearing messages garnished with both humour and pain. The confluence of bright colours and bold puns unveils the double entendre behind every visual.
Designed as a cheeky response to the traditional festival of Pentecost, “Fanfare – OOMPAH OOMPAH” will have the task and the pleasure of disrupting a very French event by bringing a very contemporary British art to the village in rural France. As a traditional celebration commemorating the birth of the Church, Pentecost Festival in Vic Fezensac is traditionally celebrated with wine, fanfare bands, local cuisine and bullfights. Inspired by the festive atmosphere, Paul Chisholm will continue this vivacious celebration of life with his show, adding music and dancing into the exhibition space. Having been a frequent visitor and a welcome guest to the village for over 15 years, the artist dared to stir up the local spirits and to introduce a dash of artistic intrigue into the sleepy town of Vic Fezensac.
In the La Maison Bleue, the artist will present a series of latest works executed in different media. To set the mood, a white flag on a flagpole will welcome visitors with an invitation in French “Voulez Vous Danser Avec Moi se Soir? / Would You Dance with Me Tonight?”, revealing the convivial, yet subtly vulnerable ambiance. Energetic, colour rich abstract paintings change places with drawings, photographic interventions and textual pieces, supporting the jovial feel of the show while brimming with layers of meaning and personal history. A witty play on words is the most prominent element of Chisholm’s graphic series, as his “Pain” (“bread” in French) inspires both laughter and anguish, as a seemingly lighthearted commentary on the obstacles of life.
Throughout his practice, Chisholm infuses his works with references to Christianity and Catholic dogma, alluding to the wine and bread as the blood and body of Christ. The work representing two crossed pink trombones evokes both the Christian and the jolly nature of the festival, juxtaposing polka-dot pattern and cheerful palette with symbolic bottles of wine. The display is concluded with photographs and drawings of party scenes in which gender roles are blurred, emphasizing the celebratory setting.
Fusing irony with allegory, Paul Chisholm creates works layered with allusions to his personal history and emotional state, subtly criticizing social and political circumstances. Utilizing his own experience as a springboard, he has built a distinctive visual language, imbued with poetic nuances of the often contradictory and disconcerting feelings related to the human condition.
About the artist
Paul Chisholm (1983) received his BA in Fine Art from Nottingham Trent University in 2004. He completed the Metàfora Contemporani Tallers D’Arte in Barcelona, Spain in 2011. He has exhibited internationally since 2005 and his recent exhibitions include The Silent Auction in Aid of THT at Christie’s Auction House, London (2018); Chapter 1 Exhibition at The Old Biscuit Factory, Curated by ARTNUMBER 23, Southwark, London (2018); Queer Art(ists) Now Exhibition at Archive Gallery, London (2017) and and The Everyday Exhibition Visual Aids at La Mama Gallery, New York (2016).
He lives between Amsterdam, Holland and Surrey, England.
For press and purchase inquiries, please contact
Paul Chisholm
http://www.mrpauldavidchisholm.com/
