The third edition of the Saint-Etienne Nouveau Siècle Festival returns to Saint-Priest-en-Jarez, France this spring. Working with the Opéra Théâtre de Saint-Étienne and the Musée d’art moderne, it creates a focal point for contemporary American art through a new strand, The New York Moment, which presents a series of exhibitions that bring together key figures in the New York art scene from the 1970s to today.
These exhibitions give an opportunity to explore a landmark period in the history of American culture through three generations of artists working in installation, visual arts, music and dance. Saint-Etienne’s Musée d’art moderne host shows by Joel Shapiro, Peter Halley and Philip Glass, providing a pathway for investigation into this rich art-historical movement. In the museum’s central hall, Shapiro, a pivotal figure in contemporary American art, whose work can be found in numerous public collections around the world, constructs a subtle dialogue between two different aspects of his work.
On the one hand, monumental sculptures made of geometrical elements, and on the other hand, archetypal objects that examine the universal concept of home – a home that is ruined by history and altered by time. Shapiro’s most complex artistic practices are illustrated by his ephemeral works, where smooth surfaces show no trace of human intervention.
The Saint-Etienne Nouveau Siècle Festival runs until 18 May visit www.operatheatredesaintetienne.fr. For more information on the exhibition programme at Saint-Etienne’s Musée d’art moderne visit www.mam-st-etienne.fr.
Credits
1. Joel Shapiro, Untitled, bronze (2002 – 2007). Image Courtesy of the artist.