100% L’Expo Sorties d’Ecoles–an Artistic Potluck for Viewers

A phallic living electronic sat next to a display of the Chinese football game Cuju which sat next to a sustainable coffee pot made from parts of other coffee pots. A computer application for artists sat next to a display of pool accessories which sat next to a set of wind sculptures for the sea. The theme for the 100% Expo at la Villette seemed to be “artistic potluck,” and visitors looking for artistic diversity are in for a visual buffet.

This buffet had four courses–the first course of art meant to be watched, the second of art meant to be used, the third of art meant to be interacted with, and the fourth of art put into action. Some of the art fit none of these categories and some of the art fit all of these categories, much like the jello and fruit at an actual potluck fit both the salad and the dessert category.

Just by wandering through the four buildings of art, it would be impossible to say what ties these works together. These works are from more than 100 artists, most of them graduating students from six prestigious art universities in Paris– les Beaux-Arts de Paris, La Fémis, l’École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs (ENSAD), de l’École Nationale Supérieure d’Arts de Cergy (ENSAPC), l’École Nationale Supérieure de Création Industrielle (ENSCI – Les Ateliers) et l’École Nationale Supérieure d’Architecture de Paris-Malaquais. 

What is most unique about this expo is that while the art is altogether a student collection, each piece was made to stand on its own. The story a student depicted inside a line of match boxes was not the same story of the series of photographs that sat next to it. Each piece was made to be regarded, considered, and judged separately from everything else in the room.

To an extent, this made it difficult to judge. When you visit any exhibition, art on its own tells only half a story. Almost as important as the art itself is the context that surrounds the it–the art takes on far more meaning when considering the context of the time and the artist, and it is the objective of most exhibitions to bring together works from the same themes or contexts so that they can be properly appreciated. While giving the students a platform for presentation, this exhibition left these young artists at a bit of a disadvantage. There is no chance for context, no theme to tie the works to the rest of the room–there is only the work itself, standing alone, judged without context or background. While the statements of some works were easier to deduce than others, it was difficult to be immersed in a work when there were hundreds of pieces to explore, and when each one had an entirely different story to tell.

Nonetheless, the expo pushed the boundaries of art and proved that art is evolving from still-life to real life. This expo included work from engineering companies who combined art and science to create sustainable products that consumers would want to preserve. Interactive digital works commented on society’s addiction to Instagram and narcissism, turning viewers into their computerized selves. Artistic tools could be scanned by a computer and used to input real-life action into the machine. Art is claiming new territory, and these artists are the first settlers.

Whether searching for contemporary portraits or products at the 100% Expo, it is sure to be found. It may require a bit of searching, and you’ll be sure to find art you never expected along the way. In these rooms filled with the work and ideas of young artists, each one has something to say. Seeing the 100% Expo at la Villette is stepping into the future of art.  

Visuel ©MW