skip to main content

An Anthropological Structure of Imaginary (2005) - Strasbourg

For The Place Kléber Project /An Anthropological Structure of the Imaginary, Jean-Bernard METAIS has revisualized Kléber Square through the creation and addition of 300 "cells" 3.6 by 3.6 meters each.

Though the cells are real, they will also take on a virtual existence through the flow of human interaction on-site. This is the essence of the project.

The purpose is to create a dialogue between the site and the inhabitants of Strasbourg. Some of the squares that delimit the "cells" are composed of light and dark mineral substances, others contain calm or troubled water, clipped or wild vegetation, edible or aromatic plants, and ephemeral installations. The structural design will evolve over time with the changing seasons, the presence of people and their experience of the space.

The work reflects a recurring theme in the art of Jean-Bernard METAIS: "the stable and the random" - as seen in his research on the flow of sand and granulated matter. This body of work, collectively entitled "Temps Imparti" ("Allotted Time"), which he began in the 1990's, centers upon experimentation with the varying expression of elements the artist brings into play. Its approach and work methods are fully relevant to the context of Kléber Square. Here, as elsewhere, Métais does not attempt to explain the site; instead, he seeks to create a resonance, a sensorial connection, between people and their environment.

An Anthropological Structure of the Imaginary was created as a part of the "Place Kléber" Project, a competition for project ideas organized by the City of Strasbourg. Four artists were short listed : Vito ACCONCI, Jurgen BAY, Didier FAUSTINO and Jean-Bernard METAIS.

Français

News

exposition

China (2012-2019)

Selected Artworks

Archives

photo

Project

Work in Sand

Video Presentation

About

Link