La Belle et La Bete
Musee d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris
Oct. 6 to Nov. 19

Seventeen American artists including Doug Aitken, Janine Antoni, Rachel Berwick, Gregory Crewdson, Jeanne Dunning, John Carhart Ebeling, Joseph Grigely, Michael Joo, Martin Kersels, Sharon Lockhart, Emil Lukas, Lynn McCarthy, Paul Myoda, Catherine Opie, Collier Schorr, Christian Schumann, and Kara Walker.

Curated by Lynn Gumpert

Don't be astonished that most of the works presented in this exhibition have been seen before during the last months in galleries in New York. But be surprised by the effect which this compilation on museum level gives to the work. Yes, it's beautiful in the sense that it is very appealing to the eye, the ear and the whole body moving around between the different installations. Forget walking around in Soho from one gallery to another. Here you will find art in the cool, clean world of a museum in it's pure beauty. What did Kant say? "Interesseloses Wohlgefallen", it's pure fun without using it. No functional meaning beside your own satisfaction. But it doesn't end in smoke. We have a different understanding of beauty. Inside the artificial worlds of Gregory Crewdson there is the sleeping horror of death and putrefaction. Inside the high energetic body of Michael Joo there is the disillusioned manipulation with food and drugs. Inside the fairytale by Rachel Berwick of the butterflies surrounding you with hundreds of flying shadows there is the cold machinery keeping alive even the dead. You should read the catalogue, the introduction by Susanne Page, the essay by Lynn Gumpert and the interview with Dave Hickey by David Pagel.

--Rainald Schumacher

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