Type: 
Residence
Period: 10/10/2007 - 25/10/2007
For the first residence of an art critic, apollonia invited Helen Hirsch, a Swiss art critic, with Swedish origins. The purpose of this residence was to enable her to work together with the artist she proposed (Geir Tore Holm) and thus to develop her critical point of view on the work and statements he will produce during his stay in Strasbourg (France).
Also, the specificity of this residence are the working sessions with the students of Master course on art criticism from Marc Bloch University in Strasbourg, apollonia's partner for the project. Art critic Helen Hirsch and artist Geir Tore Holm met the students several times.
During the first meeting at the Marc Bloch University, students discovered the cycle « One Critic, One Artist, One Artwork » thanks to Helen Hirsch and Geir Tore Holm, who gave them the global framework for the exhibition and the curatorial work to come.
The discussion was followed up at apollonia venue, where the artist more precisely presented his work and concepts, and the art critic shared with the students her position towards contemporary art in general.
After their meetings, each student accepted to write a critical text based on the final exhibition. The mentioned texts will be part of the publication following the project.
Below, Julie Portier's text, as a sample of students’ critical impressions…
"Which one of us guides the other one?"
"After consulting both parties, the artist on one side and the critic on the other side, our "verdict" on this "artventure" could be expressed by interchanging the terms of the title : one artist, one artwork, one critic ; one critic, one artist, one artwork …
This experiment, organised by apollonia, may reveal the complexity of a relationship that lies at the heart of our critical exercise.
In a private conversation, Helen Hirsch told us about something that sounded really like an "adventure"; an adventure during which she and the artist moved into the unknown and took risks... At first indeed, she did not know the works of the artist. For his project of exhibition, she could only cling to a mere hypothesis, the one of a bibliographical track (Levi-Strauss). Then begun a three-time waltz with the artist in which, alternately, each one tried to play the part of the leader. First, the critic imposed a theoretical direction on the artist, who appropriated it before disappearing without trace. The critic then had to rely on him. Finally, the artist reappeared with the work, which was displayed. While discovering the result of their work, Helen Hirsch reappropriated it in order to make her criticism.
Creation and criticism are, in today’s context of art, two united activities: the one is conditioning the other, and conversely. As the title of the project initiated by apollonia suggests, it seems that the artist and the critic, in a game of complicity and duality, are indeed part of the same team."
Julie Portier, student from Master course on art criticism, Marc Bloch University, Strasbourg (France)
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