JEAN-PASCAL FLAVIEN A NUCLEUS FOR A HOUSE HINTER DEN VÖGELN NICHE BERLIN ST. ELISABETH KIRCHHOF II WOLLANKSTRAßE 66 13359 BERLIN–WEDDING WWW.NICHEBERLIN.DE EXHIBITION: 13.9.-1.11.2015 FRI + SAT 4-8 PM & BY APPOINTMENT |
From September to December 2015, we presented a solo-show by Flavien (*1971 Le Mans, France) in our exhibition space “Hinter den Vögeln”, the former flower shop on Wedding’s St. Elisabeth II graveyard. The show nucleus for a house was made up of two new artworks: nucleus 00 (air – elastic) (2015) as well as the elastic house (2015) as an offspring of the nucleus.
Flavien researches the impact of architecture on our realm of experience. He constructs unusual spaces, for which he combines architectural, sculptural and performative elements. His works are concrete and poetic at the same time; models, installations and built objects derive from situations created by the artist. They represent conceptual entities; embody ideas, spaces and events, in which architectural conditions determine the user’s behaviours – and the other way around. Up to now, five houses have been built: viewer (2007–2009) in Maricá, Brazil, no drama house (2009–2012) in Berlin, two person house (2010–2011) in Sao Paolo, Brazil, breathing house (2012–) in the Parc Saint Léger, France as well as the statement house (2015-) in London, UK. Upcoming is the folding house in the Nouveau Musée National de Monaco. Flavien’s houses are driven by the question of how architectural elements change when repositioned, how we interact with a building on a day to day basis and how, inside a given space, the language of its users will develop further. The nucleus constitutes an additional element to these questions.
With the figure of the nucleus (lat. grain, core) Flavien bypasses the representational means of architectural practice. Up to this point, the parameters of a future building have always been captured in plans and physical or digital models. Contrary to such a projected architecture, the nucleus is a reality sufficient to itself. It contains the code for the structure and principles of a building without depicting it. It is a potential. The nucleus, comparable to a biological cell’s nucleus or the seed of a plant, can even be planted into an existing building. In that case, the house carries the seed of another house; it becomes a poetic figure.
Although abstract in form, a nucleus features small platforms that display its attributes. Every element or feature of the nucleus can become a generic idea to produce a future house. The elements can be combined or used singularly. In the case of 00 (elastic - air) (2015) there are a blue balloon and three salt balls from the Dead-Sea. The balloon, for example, can provide the two attributes air and electricity.
elastic house is a working-model of a house that embraces the idea of elasticity of space. This means the house does not rely on one scale in relation to an inhabitant, but it is based on a flexible imagination of space. Like in a dream (described by Henri Michaux) various scales and dimensions apply at the same time, rooms become exaggeratedly high or entirely flat, have different heights at the same time, are separate from the building core or hidden.
We chose Flavien because he is based in Wedding and – as an artist working with build environments – he observes spatial practices from the point of view of an outsider. Importantly, he is concerned with the question of how women could organise themselves to stand up against the status quo in which men’s career prospects are often so much more secure than women’s. Thus his contribution is intended as a provocation. It is the core of the idea that other people are meant to develop. It is like an egg that has to be incubated and not the semen that fertilises a given situation.
The nucleus can generate more houses. With this exhibition we took the opportunity to invite several architects to develop the principles – starting with a second house by Berlin based architects Rosario Talevi and Elena Schütz from Something Fantastic.
With the figure of the nucleus (lat. grain, core) Flavien bypasses the representational means of architectural practice. Up to this point, the parameters of a future building have always been captured in plans and physical or digital models. Contrary to such a projected architecture, the nucleus is a reality sufficient to itself. It contains the code for the structure and principles of a building without depicting it. It is a potential. The nucleus, comparable to a biological cell’s nucleus or the seed of a plant, can even be planted into an existing building. In that case, the house carries the seed of another house; it becomes a poetic figure.
Although abstract in form, a nucleus features small platforms that display its attributes. Every element or feature of the nucleus can become a generic idea to produce a future house. The elements can be combined or used singularly. In the case of 00 (elastic - air) (2015) there are a blue balloon and three salt balls from the Dead-Sea. The balloon, for example, can provide the two attributes air and electricity.
elastic house is a working-model of a house that embraces the idea of elasticity of space. This means the house does not rely on one scale in relation to an inhabitant, but it is based on a flexible imagination of space. Like in a dream (described by Henri Michaux) various scales and dimensions apply at the same time, rooms become exaggeratedly high or entirely flat, have different heights at the same time, are separate from the building core or hidden.
We chose Flavien because he is based in Wedding and – as an artist working with build environments – he observes spatial practices from the point of view of an outsider. Importantly, he is concerned with the question of how women could organise themselves to stand up against the status quo in which men’s career prospects are often so much more secure than women’s. Thus his contribution is intended as a provocation. It is the core of the idea that other people are meant to develop. It is like an egg that has to be incubated and not the semen that fertilises a given situation.
The nucleus can generate more houses. With this exhibition we took the opportunity to invite several architects to develop the principles – starting with a second house by Berlin based architects Rosario Talevi and Elena Schütz from Something Fantastic.