Bugada & Cargnel

Complexe des villas / Bâtiment Le Corbusier
2010
wood, cardboard, paint
147 x 100 centimeters
Unique

Pierre BISMUTH performs the impossible synthesis between the two faces of Le Corbusier: from the villas blanches to housing projects, with a sense of humor and economy of means that are his trademark. He superposes, in a small scale model, section views and computer generated images (Complexes des villas / Bâtiment Le Corbusier, 2006-2010), several Villas Savoye, to create a building that the Swiss architect might not have rejected – let alone the destiny of neglected social housing and the carcass of torched cars in front.

Following the Right Hand of - Marlene Dietrich in “The Touch of Evil”
2004
120 x 140 centimeters
Unique

From the beginning of the movie “La soif du mal” to the moment the image was taken, Pierre Bismuth (born in 1963 in Neuilly-sur-Seine, lives and works in Brussels) has carefully followed and retranscribed the right hand movements of Marlene Dietrich, thereby creating a drawing overlaying the original image. Apparently random, this tangle of lines is in fact extremely meaningful and personal, since it captures the gesture of an iconic actress, whose myth the artist approaches subtlty. Bringing together several artistic approaches of the 20th century, from early photographic experiences of decomposing movement to Pablo Picasso's drawings with a flashlight in space and in the dark, from automatic writing to action painting, Bismuth poetically reconciles fixed images and movement.

Ibhayibhile
2005
Unique

The most widely known and disseminated book in the world is presented here in different translations: from Korean to Armenian to Persian. The artist has called the work "Ibhayibheli", thus using the South African xhosa word for Bible. What emerges is an image of community between the most diverse of cultures, all of which have their own version of the Bible. At the same time, we are still aware of differences: the translations are never absolutly exact, the text differs in each language version. Ibhayibheli is a “work in progress”, as implied by the plinth, which can be extended by means of additional colored elements. Inspired by Le Corbusier's "infinte museum the expension follows the scheme of the Fibonacci Sequence.

In prevention of technical malfunction - Unplugged Bruce NAUMAN video work
2003
two unplugged screens on pedestals
Unique

"In prevention of technical malfunction (unplugged Bruce NAUMAN video work)" is a humorous reference to a situation with which every exhibitions visitor is familiar: videos that can not be seen because of technical problems. All that can be seen here is the presentation medium, namely, the monitors. According to Bismuth, the work that should be running on these monitors is "Good Boy, Bad Boy" by the famous American artist Bruce Nauman. Instead, the viewers have to call it up in their mind's eye, or imagine something themselves based on the title. We, as recipients are thus challenged to a very high degree to become actively, creatively involved.

Location piece (cross)
2004
purple neon
25 x 18 centimeters
Unique

With 'Location Pieces', Pierre BISMUTH uses neon sign and its ability to bind a message to a location. Taking the object in the literal sense, he gives it the task to indicate only its own position with a cross.

Names and colours
2006
installation with 36 spray cans
Unique

'Most Wanted Men' is a mural painted by Pierre BISMUTH in 2006. If Andy WARHOL's "most wanted men" were the most wanted criminals in the United States, they become with Pierre BISMUTH the most valued artists of the contemporary art market, whose names he sprayed on the wall, each in a different colour. By combining the public's fascination with celebrities and the shape of graffiti, this work updates the importance of the artist's signature in the construction of the artistic value. Of this ephemeral painting, remain the collection of labelled spray cans each with an artist's name and six large preparatory drawings.

Occupancy by More than 6'682'685'387 Persons is Dangerous and Unlawful
2008
30.1 x 59.9 centimeters
Unique

This piece by Pierre Bismuth parodies occupancy signs in public places in the US under an ironically Malthusian phrase. It was displayed as an introduction for an eponymous exhibition curated by Pieree Bismuth at Cosmic Gallery in 2008, for which he invited ten artists and writers to each collaborate on an artwork around a theme that is central in his practice, the notion of 'sabotage'.

Of the Influence of Fontana on His Own Work
2003
paper
21 x 21 centimeters
Unique

One Thing Made of Another On Thing Used as Another - Andy Warhol
2003
folded origami
20 x 20 centimeters
Unique

Using art posters with motifs from works by Klimt, Warhol, Klee and others, Pierre BISMUTH produces the simplest folded objects. While this disrespectful treatment of icon-like works from history of art breaks a taboo, at the same time the artist makes something useful out of the – strictly speaking useless- art products, namely, small decorative boxes.

Quelque chose en moins, quelque chose en plus (moquette, bleue, S2565-R80B, Ø 80 cm)
2005
blu moquette with holes Ø 80 cm, installation at Kunstmuseum Thun
Unique

The circles that have been removed from the carpet's surface eliminate the maximum of material and accumulate on the ground. This installation is referring to resourceful use of manufacturing waste. What is missing at one point is to be found at another: something less, something more. This represents an elementary rearrangement of material, and the rudimentary process remains visible to the viewer. At the same time, the (meaningless) destruction or perforation creates a new situation.

Someone I don't know who reminds me of someone you don't know
2004

Once again, Pierre BISMUTH holds to a rule dictated by himself alone which he references in thte title: this collection of images pulled for the most part from magazines shows us people whom the artist doesn't know but who nonetheless remind him of someone. The title incites us to think about our own circle of acquaintances, who will certainly bear certain correspondances to these images, to the point of contradicting the BISMUTH's title.

Something Less Something More
2004
Unique

"Des choses en moins des choses en plus" consists of walls that have different sized holes in them. Circles that have been removed from wall's surface eliminate the maximum of material and accumulate on the ground. This installation is referring to resourceful use of manufacturing waste. What is missing at one point is to be found at another: something less, something more. This represents an elementary rearrangement of material, and the rudimentary process remains visible to the viewer. At the same time, the (meaningless) destruction or perforation creates a new situation.

Something Less, Something More - Brillo
2005
Unique

The circles that have been removed from the oversized Brillo box's surface eliminate the maximum of material and accumulate on the ground. This installation is referring to resourceful use of manufacturing waste. What is missing at one point is to be found at another: something less, something more. This represents an elementary rearrangement of material, and the rudimentary process remains visible to the viewer. At the same time, the (meaningless) destruction or perforation creates a new situation.

Various Colours in Different Locations
2005

In this slide installation, random colors are projected over the walls in a room. The title is an objective description of the work, containing within it a rule applied in the course of the work's execution. The work constitutes a sort of tranlsation of the verb into a visual language. The colors here have no symbolic sense; the artist is rather interested in the movement of the image in the room. The work thus becomes mobile, inviting the spectator to move along with the perambulating projections.