Purple Diary
[April 11 2011]
CONCRETE ISLANDS BY ANALIX FOREVER at six elzévir, paris
Presented by Geneva-based gallery Analix Forever, Concrete Islands explores the expressions of utopia in architecture today. The group show, featuring photography and video by five international artists documents architectural projects that have made their mark on contemporary society through their social or political intentions. Through space and society’s inextricable links, it is the architect’s potential as influencer and creator of these social situations and rituals that is interrogated. From Le Corbusier’s construction of Chandigarh as photographed by Iwan Ban or the surprising utopian language of architecture from the late Soviet era in Frederic Chaubin’s work, non-conformist ideals articulate themselves. Today, these dreams can be found in various states of undress: the contemporary status of the architecture, inhabited, derelict or destructed. Amidst undertones of dystopia, Andreas Angelidakis’ poetic use of fiction and fantasy proposes the romantic notion of ruins: these are merely buildings becoming nature.
Concrete Islands curated by Elias Redstone for Analix Forever is on view at Six Elzévir, 6 rue Elzévir, Paris. Text Sophie Pinchetti and Photo Caroline Gaimari
