Framing The Sound on a pedestal
I chose to interview Matthieu Crimersmois, to understand how can an artist perceive the frame and the space through a multimedia and sound installation practice. Matthieu is a french Artist who studied Contemporary art in the Nantes beaux-arts academy.
His work concist of sculptures, kinethic installations, performances, video installations, sound generating sculptures and more. He descibes himself as a Platiniste Plasticien, by creating bridges between the world of Djs and fine art.
While the frame or borders of a sculptural object can be more easily defined, it is probably harder to define the borders of the same object that produces sound.
Since the sound is part of the artwork, is there any visible limit anymore ?
Could the sound be the final artwork? We could also see the object as frame for the sound, or vise versa, becoming inseparable or interdependent.
Thoses questions are some that obviously a painter doesnʼt necessarly ask himself, but for the acoustic practicien it might be the very essence of the work.
I chose to interview Matthieu Crimersmois, to understand how can an artist perceive the frame and the space through a multimedia and sound installation practice. Matthieu is a french Artist who studied Contemporary art in the Nantes beaux-arts academy.
His work concist of sculptures, kinethic installations, performances, video installations, sound generating sculptures and more. He descibes himself as a Platiniste Plasticien, by creating bridges between the world of Djs and fine art.
While the frame or borders of a sculptural object can be more easily defined, it is probably harder to define the borders of the same object that produces sound.
Since the sound is part of the artwork, is there any visible limit anymore ?
Could the sound be the final artwork? We could also see the object as frame for the sound, or vise versa, becoming inseparable or interdependent.
Thoses questions are some that obviously a painter doesnʼt necessarly ask himself, but for the acoustic practicien it might be the very essence of the work.
Interview mit Matthieu Crimersmois
Email und Skype interview, Berlin/Paris 12.2012
(.... In french the beginig.. )
Est-ce que tu tentes de créer un nouvel espace à l’aide du son?
Without my will, the sound reveals informations. I try to go with it. The notion of acoustic space to me is still not well defined. I do not pretend to expand the walls or make some 5.1 or even to be an Ace of high quality acoustics.
Maybe I aim toward a new mental space, of creation, mixing between
artistic disciplines, between the thoughts of people. Uhrsprunglich, I am a visual artist, I do not have any musical education worthy of the name and it is just fine. In all cases,
I am an artist who enjoys working with musicians for exchange. It is in those moments that
new spaces are build.
Not to mention the architectural properties that are taken into account or not.
Depending on architecture, acoustics will be different, then do you consider the room as being part of your work or more as an external factor?
I consider it as an element that integrates the context of the work.
But I can Ignore it also, It is my work that bear this question, not me.
If I judge it can alter or improve my work, then I will respond to it.
It depends of the possibilities that are given to me. Often I try not to make compromises.
When you select your sounds, are you choosing them according to the place where Artwork will be presented, or independently?
Good question, honestly, I consider the places and the viewer. It is part of my
inspiration. Often curators understand the impact it will have on the public. They also position themselves as researchers. I must be careful to the public.
If a work is designed for a specific location, can it be presented elsewhere afterward?
The difficulty in my work is not to currupt the original meaning of my artwork, but rather to make it evolve.
The trouble with my job is not to corrupt the original meaning of my room but rather to evolve. If it helps to read my overall approach, then yes,
other parameters may come into play depending on the context. I try to do not have an approach to autism although if I could I will permit it can be.
In some of your works, you take a print of the street, by melting vinyls disc over the sidewalk or over sewers.
Would you say that this is a way to frame the street?
Not to mention the architectural properties that are taken into account or not.
Depending on architecture, acoustics will be different, then do you consider the room as being part of your work or more as an external factor?
I consider it as an element that integrates the context of the work.
But I can Ignore it also, It is my work that bear this question, not me.
If I judge it can alter or improve my work, then I will respond to it.
It depends of the possibilities that are given to me. Often I try not to make compromises.
When you select your sounds, are you choosing them according to the place where Artwork will be presented, or independently?
Good question, honestly, I consider the places and the viewer. It is part of my
inspiration. Often curators understand the impact it will have on the public. They also position themselves as researchers. I must be careful to the public.
If a work is designed for a specific location, can it be presented elsewhere afterward?
The difficulty in my work is not to currupt the original meaning of my artwork, but rather to make it evolve.
The trouble with my job is not to corrupt the original meaning of my room but rather to evolve. If it helps to read my overall approach, then yes,
other parameters may come into play depending on the context. I try to do not have an approach to autism although if I could I will permit it can be.
In some of your works, you take a print of the street, by melting vinyls disc over the sidewalk or over sewers.
Would you say that this is a way to frame the street?
I tend more to talk about the street in an other way. I include it in my work.
When I take the imprints of the street, I take something that belongs to the ''common'', the
daily life.
I transpose it in sound on a disc. I take the different surfaces of the street, motifs, fences, sewer and readi it through the vinyl.
The motifs are some kind of low relief (Flachrelief) that gives beats with the, topography. The street offers a large spectrum of subjects and possibilites.
It's more my work that frame itself in the street in that project.
Many of your artworks are in relation with the world of Djs. Would you say that this thematic is the frame of your art?
Non, it's the genesis.
I actually tried to unframed this thema, and bring something new to it. We are many to do this with that same will. Which is perfect.
After, some make it better than others.
Do you think performance as a frame ? If yes what it is ?
Yes, an art space with receptive people.
It already happened to me that I did a performance in front of a public that was completely out of context, and for them I was also completely out of context. From the moment you present your work or perform somewhere, you must often enter in a frame, an idea, a concept. Even when I do improvisation there is a frame, there is a public curious of earing new sounds and new instruments. A musicien should have a liberty of is own, that means inside his own restrictions, sensitivity, and work.
Do you conceive the format of an artwork and the amount of works for a specific exhibition?
Yes, I have this tendency. But also in function of what I want to say.
For exemple,I conceived '' Breaker'' in a scale close to the human scale in a room that
had maybe 200 sq meters. The sound was diffused n the whole space.
Does the psychological frame of a space(galerie, house, studio, public space) influences your production?
I transpose it in sound on a disc. I take the different surfaces of the street, motifs, fences, sewer and readi it through the vinyl.
The motifs are some kind of low relief (Flachrelief) that gives beats with the, topography. The street offers a large spectrum of subjects and possibilites.
It's more my work that frame itself in the street in that project.
Many of your artworks are in relation with the world of Djs. Would you say that this thematic is the frame of your art?
Non, it's the genesis.
I actually tried to unframed this thema, and bring something new to it. We are many to do this with that same will. Which is perfect.
After, some make it better than others.
Do you think performance as a frame ? If yes what it is ?
Yes, an art space with receptive people.
It already happened to me that I did a performance in front of a public that was completely out of context, and for them I was also completely out of context. From the moment you present your work or perform somewhere, you must often enter in a frame, an idea, a concept. Even when I do improvisation there is a frame, there is a public curious of earing new sounds and new instruments. A musicien should have a liberty of is own, that means inside his own restrictions, sensitivity, and work.
Do you conceive the format of an artwork and the amount of works for a specific exhibition?
Yes, I have this tendency. But also in function of what I want to say.
For exemple,I conceived '' Breaker'' in a scale close to the human scale in a room that
had maybe 200 sq meters. The sound was diffused n the whole space.
Does the psychological frame of a space(galerie, house, studio, public space) influences your production?
I have a more or less negative vision of the frame. I try to go over it, but it just catches us
at one point.
It's just a silly idea to think that there is no frame, but it's still an idea that I don't really like. My studio is not defined as a studio. I call it like that because we have to give it a name. People need to understand what you do.
About the gallery, I am like everyone, I search the right one. It's the perfect frame to support what you make and to give you a credibility in the art market. On the other hand, it's very nice not to have one and not to be absorbed by the political problematics of some sort.
Do you like groupe exhibition?
Yes, I find that interresting when there is a real interraction between the artworks.
Often, I just made the links long after. Group exhibitions sometimes complexify the reading of an artwork to much, but it allows to explore new interresting tracks. I think that collectiv work is essential to evolve.
It's a force that allows to question important topics on different point of views.
Do you consider that your work is well suited for group exhibitions ?
There is of course interractions with certain artwork that parasite one another, or even that are harmfull of each other. but If this is assumed, then I say yes.
Otherwise I like when it works, when you organise your work, and think about it make it's scenography and discuss with others.
It's a moment of delimitation of your territory, of exchange and discussion, it's almost a question of behavior and conviction. It's the most important step befor to show something in public. That is why often scenography of curators is sometimes a sort of game of power, strategic placement and giving more importance to some more than other.
Which are the parameters that you must pay more attention to ensure the strengt of your works?
Knowing specifically what effect I want to obtain on the public. Make sure that my work keeps it first meaning and his autonomy.
It's just a silly idea to think that there is no frame, but it's still an idea that I don't really like. My studio is not defined as a studio. I call it like that because we have to give it a name. People need to understand what you do.
About the gallery, I am like everyone, I search the right one. It's the perfect frame to support what you make and to give you a credibility in the art market. On the other hand, it's very nice not to have one and not to be absorbed by the political problematics of some sort.
Do you like groupe exhibition?
Yes, I find that interresting when there is a real interraction between the artworks.
Often, I just made the links long after. Group exhibitions sometimes complexify the reading of an artwork to much, but it allows to explore new interresting tracks. I think that collectiv work is essential to evolve.
It's a force that allows to question important topics on different point of views.
Do you consider that your work is well suited for group exhibitions ?
There is of course interractions with certain artwork that parasite one another, or even that are harmfull of each other. but If this is assumed, then I say yes.
Otherwise I like when it works, when you organise your work, and think about it make it's scenography and discuss with others.
It's a moment of delimitation of your territory, of exchange and discussion, it's almost a question of behavior and conviction. It's the most important step befor to show something in public. That is why often scenography of curators is sometimes a sort of game of power, strategic placement and giving more importance to some more than other.
Which are the parameters that you must pay more attention to ensure the strengt of your works?
Knowing specifically what effect I want to obtain on the public. Make sure that my work keeps it first meaning and his autonomy.
If the space arround his part of your work, are they also absorbing the other artworks around it?
I hope so.
Are you trying to brake or underline a social frame ?
I am interrested in many things. From the moment that you start claiming something (revendications), it becomes dangerous to get away from it.
The social frame is quickly reused by something else, everything is always in mouvement, the elements of a frame can enter and exit it. When you define a frame, you define something fix. Who defines the social frame?
The only trick is to do what you want, what you think must be done.
The origins, the religions, the professional social classes, that is the organisation of the human being, to give him a function and use it. But the human is useful to itself through the natural program that compose it. That is the adaptation, the evolution and the ideological positionning, the choice. Braking or underlining a frame is intrinsic in my work, but I don't talk about it.
I am doing anti politic at the moment.
Does your videos have the ''reach'' when presented in different spaces ?
I am not able to say exactly what is the impact of the differents diffusion platforms for the moment.
What I like the most, is the contact with the public, to know what they though of it. Which is more probable in a gallery.
Internet is good, but people are consumming me, they don't exchange with me or very little.
But at least I know they saw my work and that, this or that thing intrigues them.
They have a more intims contact with my videos even with the distance and the lack of scenography.
Because indeed, my videos can be seen on the internet, I chose Youtube ! That doesn't remove the fact that I have a lot of visits on my blog.
-Does the art market as an influence on your production?
For everyone that want to live with there art.
The problem is that, regarding the country or even the city where you live, the parameters changes.
What is your biggest limitation ? -Physical?
-Psychological?
-Physicaly: I don't have any problem to move arround, its just a question of organisation. I sometimes adapt the projects reagarding the exhibition spaces.
-Psychologicaly: There is only myself that imposes me limitations regarding social and financial pressures.
Do you have any Taboos?
Yes, in the way to respect the liberty of others. But mostly, I express what I think.
Are you trying to brake taboos or prejudices with your art?
The world is so broad that I focus on problems that sometimes don't have any links to prejudice or taboos.
Only the act of bringing the vinyl discs out of the classical Dj world, was for me a huge prejudice braking act.
But I am not the only one to do this, so after a while, everyone make what they want.
We can put everything in categories and judge immediatly, but in that case it as to become a scandal and people must talk about it.
Does art theory and art history influences your production?
Yes, I make a lot of research about what is being done and said about art. Sometimes I even look to much about what is being done around me and I forgive what I make. But it's mostly just a phase, a stretch of inspiration.
The problem is that, regarding the country or even the city where you live, the parameters changes.
What is your biggest limitation ? -Physical?
-Psychological?
-Physicaly: I don't have any problem to move arround, its just a question of organisation. I sometimes adapt the projects reagarding the exhibition spaces.
-Psychologicaly: There is only myself that imposes me limitations regarding social and financial pressures.
Do you have any Taboos?
Yes, in the way to respect the liberty of others. But mostly, I express what I think.
Are you trying to brake taboos or prejudices with your art?
The world is so broad that I focus on problems that sometimes don't have any links to prejudice or taboos.
Only the act of bringing the vinyl discs out of the classical Dj world, was for me a huge prejudice braking act.
But I am not the only one to do this, so after a while, everyone make what they want.
We can put everything in categories and judge immediatly, but in that case it as to become a scandal and people must talk about it.
Does art theory and art history influences your production?
Yes, I make a lot of research about what is being done and said about art. Sometimes I even look to much about what is being done around me and I forgive what I make. But it's mostly just a phase, a stretch of inspiration.
Do you feel restraint by theory?
Theory is not either my main subject. I am more in the practical.
If I write about a theoratical text about my work, it's to push further my discourse or even to investigate writing as an artistic work in itself.
Do you think that contemporary art have a frame?
Contemporary art is framed from everywhere, from the beginning of art history up to today, in a certain total chaos and a certain possible futur that we suspect.
Art is marked, it's left to us to infiltrate the ''Zwischenraum'', the "sillons en construction".
Does galleries and museums gives you more liberties or restrictions?
More expectancy for the artist in general. I would of course love not to have to think about logistic and contacts building.
I would like to free myself of this to be more efficient in what I do and what I want to show to the public.
Anything you would like to add ?
I would like to say, that finally, it only belongs to you to create the frame.
It's really hard to be framed when finishing school, especially in Paris when you are young. Some people manage to get a gallery, sell works and show regularly right after finishing art school.
That is what we all want. No matter how important the exhibition is, you have to be a minimum strategic.
Just like Duchamps said, yours artworks are like chess pieces, you have to place them in the right place in the right time.
If I write about a theoratical text about my work, it's to push further my discourse or even to investigate writing as an artistic work in itself.
Do you think that contemporary art have a frame?
Contemporary art is framed from everywhere, from the beginning of art history up to today, in a certain total chaos and a certain possible futur that we suspect.
Art is marked, it's left to us to infiltrate the ''Zwischenraum'', the "sillons en construction".
Does galleries and museums gives you more liberties or restrictions?
More expectancy for the artist in general. I would of course love not to have to think about logistic and contacts building.
I would like to free myself of this to be more efficient in what I do and what I want to show to the public.
Anything you would like to add ?
I would like to say, that finally, it only belongs to you to create the frame.
It's really hard to be framed when finishing school, especially in Paris when you are young. Some people manage to get a gallery, sell works and show regularly right after finishing art school.
That is what we all want. No matter how important the exhibition is, you have to be a minimum strategic.
Just like Duchamps said, yours artworks are like chess pieces, you have to place them in the right place in the right time.
