From January 15 to March 10, 2021, the Fondation Clément in Martinique hosts two exhibitions of works of art which bring together painters, visual artists, photographers, draughtsmen, sculptors from Guadeloupe : “Numéris Clausus” and “J-Expose”.
The Fondation Clément is an emanation of the Habitation Clément, this former sugar-producing house located in the town of Le François in Martinique which was the residence of the Clément family from 1887 to 1986. Its founder is Doctor Homère Clément, one of the first coloured doctors on the island after he bought the Habitation de l’Acajou.
The main house and its outbuildings were classified as “historical monument” in 1996 and were restored in 2003 ; in 2011, the Habitation Clément, which is visited every year by nearly 100,000 people, was labelled “Maison des Illustres” by the Ministry of Culture.
Its Centre of Modern and Contemporary Art, housed in the former fermenting room, was inaugurated in 2016 and is well known for its dynamism. It regularly hosts exhibitions that can be seen every day of the year from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. If the visit to the Habitation is charged, the art exhibitions are free.
This time, carte blanche was given to Guadeloupean painter Thierry Alet to build and show two group exhibitions entitled “Numérus Clausis” and “J-Expose”.
Showing the Guadeloupean artistic bubbling
“Numéris Clausus” shows the creation of Guadeloupean artists during lockdown (from March 17 to May 11, 2020). 23 artists from the archipelago are taking part : Thierry Alet & Carla Bernhardt, Pauline & Mathilde Bonnet, Jean-Marc Boudine, Collectif Rip’Art (Félie Line Lucol & Patrice Léopoldie), Charles Chulem-Rousseau, Chantaléa Commin, Valéry Gabon, Romain Ganer, Goodÿ, Alain Lacki, Félie Line Lucol, Antoine Nabajoth, François Piquet, Ruddy Marc Roquelaure, Jimmy Sabas alias Mash, Jérôme Sainte-Luce, Catherine Seznec, Rony Sidon, Amandine Uger, Steeve Verin and Philibert Yrius.
As for “J-Expose”, it is an online group exhibition centred on 3 main themes – trace, drawing and social mask – and is made up of works by established and emerging artists. It aims to show the artistic bubbling in Guadeloupe. In total, there are 27 creators : Thierry Alet & Adly, Stéphane Alunno, Antonwè, Élie Babel, Yves Bercion, Astrid Billy, Léa Bourgeois, Olivier Léogane, D. Luidgi Djafri, Ébel, Francis Eck, Eyone, Thierry Faider, GgpikS, Eben Kéla, Kitsimi, Patricia Lollia, Samuel Mazaniello-Chézol, Mister Co, Nadine Brune R, Denis Ninine, Jérémie Paul, Jacky Poulier, Étienne Roussas, Laurence Roussas and Philippe Virapin.
Art in a tumultuous time
This exhibition was scheduled to take place in April 2020 but because of the first lockdown on the whole French territory due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the event had been suspended.
Thierry Alet, the curator of the two exhibitions, explained : “J-Expose” is an exhibition that aims to bring out the dynamism of the art scene of Guadeloupe. I chose this format because today – post lockdown – it seems to me more effective than an in situ exhibition to reach the greatest number of people, and especially an international audience. Lockdown, Covid-19 and the accompanying crisis have sharply accelerated the rate of digital participation in our lives. As an artist, I believe that the work must reflect its environment. When a group exhibition is presented by an artist, it becomes a bit like his work. It must therefore also fit into its geopolitical and now digital environment. “J-Expose” accompanies the “Numéris Clausus” exhibition at the foundation. The latter focuses on works that show more the time of lockdown either in their own creation or in their relationship with other works. Let us hope that this duality will bring new answers to the tumultuous time we are currently living through”.
On site or online, “Numéris Clausus” and “J-Expose” can be seen from January 15 to March 10, 2021.
