le Sang
Julia Droga & Various Artists
Q&A exhibition at n0dine: rue de Laeken 105, 1000 Brussels
9 - 29 September 2021
Q & A is a series of collaborations initiated by Various Artists with fellow artists active in different fields of the art world. This fourth Q & A le Sang highlights a longterm collaboration with Julia Droga.
le Sang is the first exhibition of their series Jusqu’à Ce Que la Mort Nous Sépare, a project that exposes the present on a social, political and economic level and investigates how poetry and collaboration in a biotope of arts can make a difference.
Q & A is a series of collaborations initiated by Various Artists with fellow artists who are active in different fields of the art world. The third Q & A they organise highlights a longterm collaboration with Julia Droga.
JUSQU'À CE QUE LA MORT NOUS SÉPARE investigates four themes during four seasons: le Sang, la Mort, la Haine & l'Argent, resulting in several exhibitions and performances the coming years.
The project wants to expose the present, socially, politically and economically. The shifts that are currently taking place in these domains have major consequences for future generations. The 20s promise to be a pivotal moment for the survival of a fragile balance that Europe and many other parts of the Western world rely on.
Julia Droga and Various Artists begin their investigation in the art world that for them symbolises the failure of capitalism. They investigate how poetry can make a difference in the biotope of performances and audiovisual artworks, and how the future lies in collaboration on all levels, in all niches.
By combining two divergent research methods, the artists, each with their own background, hope to arrive at a meaningful collaboration. They want to transcend boundaries of language, gender and age to make a statement in an art world that today is still too focused on Western patriarchal thinking. It will be a confrontation between two characters who together form an unusual amalgam of personalities, generations and opinions.
photo: Sophie Mutterer
Part 1: Le Sang
In n0dine, on of Aude Thensiau's studios is recreated. This set housed a long-term performance by the two artists. Aude, a fictional character, was performed by the duo in the white cube, creating a dialogue between two beings that are closely linked. The performance highlighted the historical dimension of a moment in Aude's life.
The space became both a stage and a backstage, allowing Aude to appear and disappear in public. Through the window of the exhibition space, the audience became witness to the intimacy of a ruinous presence. The installation as an art object was the metaphor for a young artist confronted with an art world that is not interested in the well-being of her main creative force. "She stayed alone. She was not a loner. She was just alone."
Julia Droga explores themes of the body, language, hermeneutics and the potential for divergence, rupture or (mis)understanding. Her research is mainly based on phenomena of alternation, where the intermediary assumes a necessary role in order to accomplish an action or satisfy a desire. In her practice, she uses various media, as obscure conciliatory devices with dubious rules and uncertain effects.
Various Artists investigates the sustainability of the artist as a brand. This long-term practice research includes opening up their modus operandi to other artists/collectives and experimenting with auto-generative art production. While challenging the limits of the art market, Various Artists explore the possibilities of shared (fictional) authorship.
With the support of BYSTE, nadine vzw and the Vlaams Gemeenschapscommissie.
Photography: Chantal Van Rijt.