Des choses à faire

“Things to do”: the title of Chevalier Masson exhibition at Htand-Hornu is considered, well-chosen.

Words, the way of naming things, are never unintentional in Chevalier Masson’s work. The name contributes to the work, just as the title sets the scene and gives meaning to the exhibition. The expression “things to do” is open to various interpretations.

In “things”, we are given a certain sense of materiality. The material, in this instance, is textiles. Fabric.

Anne Masson and Eric Chevalier’s vision of this material, their way of questioning its status and its functional and at the same time poetic potential, make a veritable statement in the museum context. At a time of intelligent, innovative textiles, be it through their integrated techniques or the properties of new, as yet unexploited fibres (various plants, algae, crustaceans and milk), they fundamentally question the cultural status of textiles. When worn, looked at and danced in, fabric acquires an autonomous life. It lends itself to observing, speaking, playing and smiling.

“To do”. To do is to make. Hand-crafting. The word is almost taboo in a cultural world where design has been dematerialised, as was the case with art in the 1960s, notably under the assault of conceptual performance art. Nowadays design is about concept, strategy, social innovation and protocol. Running counter to this evolution, Chevalier Masson anchor their practise in making, doing and working. To be fair however, their approach is not isolated. The exhibition is a further manifestation of a recent phenomenon. Numerous creators – along with observers, critics and analysts – are returning to practises, the manufacturing process of their creations, often supporting the new technologies which are integrated in more manual approaches.

until January 10, 2016
Chevalier Masson
Des choses à faire
CID – center for innovation and design at Grand-Hornu
Site du Grand-Hornu
Rue Sainte-Louise 82, Hornu