It Was On Earth That I Knew Joy

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Scion presents an exhibition curated by Lionel Vivier / Sixpack France

For further information : [email protected]

www.sixpack.fr

Catalog published in occasion of the exhibition

«IT WAS ON EARTH THAT I KNEW JOY»

at the Scion Installation Space in Los Angeles, CA

Feb. 20 - March 13, 2010

Scion Installation L.A.

3521 Helms Ave. Culver City, CA 90232

www.scion.com/space . Gallery Phone: 310.815.8840

Supported by Scion & LowriderAll right reserved


Man vs machine : a classic, timeless subject matter for human daydrea-ming. Some of these dreams got real, while others turned into night-mares – many others.

The last century hadn’t even come half-way that Hiroshima and Na-gasaki already happened. Balance of terror, nuclear- and atom-bombs imagery, nutty scientist-infested TV screens, and paranoia-inflected, apo-calyptic-minded books. Every time you stick «science» and «fiction» together, you can only fear the worst.

We used to believe in all these things. Now we don’t believe them any-more – not anymore at all. Closed horizons.The cul-de-sac’s common conviction is that the future doesn’t include tomorrows. The future is tomorrow-less. The fate of fate means the sheer

idea of progress and improvement has been totally wrong for a hundred years.

If progress would have taken the right path, we’d still have a chance to get back and start the world from scratch, to start it all back.

As Chris Marker’s La Jetée suggests, the catastrophe did happen, and survivors would really crave to come back before it, in order to interfere on the original action that caused the catastrophe.That’s also what happens in «It was on earth that I knew joy», a short movie gravitating around the star that is La Jetée

In this short, Jean-Baptise de Laubier seconds the Marker’s sugges-tion, while making it squared. Traces of time are not kept in a survivor’s mind, but in computer memories. Since History has vanished after human extinction, machines now tell stories to each other by using those images given by humans.

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Such as those of the narrator who couldn’t, just like any other, survive to the final virus, but who left a hard disk full of rushes from the time when he was still there. His trips, his family, and love too. This life and its memories now have digital heirs who like to hum those nostalgic tunes – a human feeling they weren’t program-med to feel, basically. It really looks like our vanishing has made our master-less machines as melancholic as their former masters.

Contrary to the survivors of La Jetée, our computer intelligences now know that Prometeheus and any other human myth has disappeared with the last man on earth. Since no one will use them, they know they’ll never have the power to get back to the beginning.

Anyway, let’s now get back to the hic et nunc, the here and now : a universe over-whelmed by demateria-lized images that work just as a series of clues, small rocks just like the ones Hop o’My Thumb uses in the Per-

rault tale. All the technological exten-sions we have today are never-ending sources of fun and experimentation.Even we now know that this way of having «fun» is walking on a thin-ner than thin thread, we nevertheless feel forced to carry on because we’ve been programmed to walk forward. Humans are machines with soul. Or vice-versa. New potential questions galore. And in a nutshell, the most beautiful jubilation ever : the prescient feeling of a end that’s been foretold. We’ll dance our last dance to the sound of this cryptic chorus : «It was on earth that I knew joy». Here’s the little music which will show the way to the artists invited by Sixpack France for this group show, all based around «It was on earth that I knew joy»’s central idea.


French producer and filmmaker Jean-Baptiste de Laubier (Para One) can’t seem to stay still. A true pioneer, he was one of the first to inject glitches and digital artifacts into rap production. Having invented a new kind of rap with French hip hop phenomenon TTC, he then dreamed up Epiphanie, an insanely complex debut solo effort which originated the French electro sound that stormed the world in the last couple of years.Next came the quietly beautiful surprise of Naissance Des Pieuvres, sound-track to the critically acclaimed, Cannes-selected movie Water Lilies (directed by Céline Sciamma). He was then invited by renowned choral conductor Laurence Equilbey to reinterpret his choice of classical classics (Bach,Mozart, Beethoven), along with Marc Collin, Murcof and Emilie Simon.Para One is one of the few electro artists to really, genuinely play live. No half-assed glorified DJing here. He’s toured all over the world and played the biggest festivals, from Fuji Rock to Coachella (twice!). And from time to time, he agrees to remix his contemporaries: Daft Punk, Boys Noize, Datarock, Ayumi Hamasaki…He’s just completed his new album, a brilliant set of leftfield pop songs you can dance to, owing as much to Chas Jankel, as to Drexciya and 52nd Street. It was recorded with American singer San Serac, under the moniker Slice & Soda. Under his government name, Jean-Baptiste de Laubier is a filmmaker, alumni of La FEMIS, the most prestigious film school in France. His first short, Charlotte quelque part (2003), was supported by Chris Marker himself. He followed up with Les premières communions (2004) and Cache ta joie (2006). Two years ago, he released One More Song, the first installment of his video diary. Using footage culled from the aforementioned diary, he’s just directed It Was on Earth That I Knew Joy, a short fiction commissioned by French fashion brand Sixpack. He’s currently writing his first feature film.

JEAN-BAPTISTEDE LAUBIER


© Camille Vivier


Mark Owens is an American designer, writer, and filmmaker who works in Los Angeles. In 2005, he creates Life of the Mind, a graphic studio which pursues conceptually based projects in print, motion, and apparel design. Mark eaned an MFA in graphic design from Yale University and worked closely with a number of New York design studios, including three years in the on-air design department at MTV Networks. Mark has been a visiting faculty member atYale, CalArts and Art Center College of Design and contributes regularly to the postpunk / Marxist design journal Dot Dot Dot and Tagbanger blog.

MARKOWENS





Born in 1979, Sweden, Micke Thorsby aka PMKFA now resides in Tokyo after spending the first half of this decade in Copenhagen and London. PMKFA creates graphic artwork and design for music, packaging, garments, magazi-nes and books for clients such as Universal music, Uniqlo, Atlantic records, Nudie Jeans, WESC, Arkitip, Lo-Fi-Fnk and Kocky. Once heavily focused on music graphics, PMKFA’s last years can be seen as the expanded adventure into new fields. Since 2006, he has become an art-director of the Swedish furniture newcomer Vujj™, participating in creating two critically acclaimed exhibitions in London and Milan. He is also known as the co-founder/desi-gner of the clothing label It’s Our Thing. 2007 saw PMKFA’s first solo-show in Europe in the shape of «A Bag of Grease» at the great gallery Vallery in Barcelona, the show got some great feedback.

PMKFA



Cody Hudson is a Chicago based artist, also known for his graphic designcontributions under the name Struggle Inc. Known for the production of clean, multi-dimensional graphics, Cody’s design aesthetic is part urban modernism, and part organic visual deconstruction. His graphic work and paintings have been exhibited throughout the US, Europe and Japan including the Museum of Contemporary Art (Chicago), New Image Art (LA), Rocket Gallery (Tokyo), The Lazy Dog (Paris), & Andrew Rafacz (Chicago). In 2006 Cody was commissioned by the City of Chicago Public Art Program to create a permanent installation at the Sox/35th CTA station as part of the Arts in Transit Program. Cody’s work has been featured in numerous magazines and publications including idN, Arkitip, Anthem & Juxtapoz.

CODYHUDSON





Brigitte Sire is a Los Angeles based photographer born in 1978. A graduate of Art Center College of Design, she now works for a variety of advertising and editorial clients including: Adidas, Arkitip, Dazed and Confused, Spin, Six-pack France, Wallpaper and W magazine. When she is not making photogra-phs she is working on collages and other collaborative projects.

BRIGITTESIRE



Steven Harrington lives and works in Los Angeles, CA. Aside from owning and operating National Forest Design with fellow artist Justin Krietemeyer, he still finds time to work on both commissioned and self-inspired art projects of his own. Influenced by images, fashion and graphics discovered in Time LifeEncyclopedias from 1965-1972, thrift stores, and The Moody Blues, his art might be termed contextual objectivism. He views each piece he creates as a tangible object that is part and parcel of a larger context, the object helps de-fine the context and the context helps define the object. Whatever feel or mea-ning the observer takes away from the piece belongs to the observer. Nothing is shoved down his or her throat. Discovery is the key. Some of his most recent project includes a four board series for Burton, contributions to the French clothing Sixpack, and a series of prints based on the idea of «community». He has exhibited in Los Angeles, Dallas, Chicago, Philadelphia, Montreal, Tokyo, Melbourne and Barcelona.

STEVENHARRINGTON





Justin Krietemeyer is a California native who works and lives in Los Angeles. Justin co-owns and operates National Forest Design with fellow friend and artist Steven Harrington. Justin’s work draws on his passions for nature, science, culture, and shared expriences to create a collective memory or reflection of the present. His work is a curated selection of hand drawn and found images on surfaces and textures that have an inherent sense of a time passed. Justin’s new works are an investigation and celebration of the common moments and experiences that happen beyond conscious thought. They are images of excitement, joy, anxiety, and discovery. His works are abstracted collages of the common experiences and emotions that bind us as humans. The images are meant to defy our concept of the conceived limits of perception, reality, space, and time. Justin has shown work in Tokyo, Paris, Milan, Berlin, Barcelona, Los Angeles, and Denton Texas.

JUSTINKRIETEMEYER



Born in Perth, Australia in 1981, Jonathan Zawada currently works as a graphic designer in Sydney, Australia for many music, art and fashion clients such as Ksubi, Modular Records, The Presets, Sixpack France, Uniqlo, or Coca Cola using a diverse range of mediums from website design to illustra-tion. Jonathan was awarded an Australian Recording Industry Award for best album art in 2008 with The Presets, ‘Apocalypso’ artwork. Jonathan is also one third of TRUST FUN! makers of the backstage fashion comic, Petit Mal! and their self-titled accessory range which is sold worldwide in stores such as Liberty of London and Colette in Paris. Parallel to his professional design work, Jonathan is also a practicing visual artist. His work has been exhibited at the Monster Children Gallery in Sydney as well as in international group exhibitions including ‘Batteries Not Included’ (Australian Centre for Photo-graphy), ‘Sea No Evil’ (Riverside Art Museum, California) and ‘New Moon’ (Sarah Cottier Gallery).

JONATHANZAWADA





Honet is a Multiple personality artist. He joins gothic illustration, mostly inspired by his life in motion together with the romantic exploration and recycling of abandoned, forgotten and hidden places. All around Europe, he meticulously chooses the spots where he will leave his creatures and his words. Through skeletons, monsters, dead ladies and wired texts he describes a world that only exists deep inside him. His irony and the serious of his research make HONET a very honest and mature artist, able of moving in every kind of environment without losing his touch. His images of ravaged landscapes peopled by skeletons have already been exhibited widely and the artist has collaborated with companies including Prada and Ruby along with numerous press publications in Fact, WAD, Clark and Voxer amongst others.

HONET



Native of Jura, based in Paris since 1999, Akroe, a.k.a. Etienne Bardelli is a recognized player of the French graphic design scene, and a figure of the «post-graffiti» art scene. He has designed record sleeves and identities for majors companies and underground labels alike, such as Institubes heassumed the artistic direction during 4 years. Designed logos, patterns and visuals for several brands, including Sixpack France. He was given carte blanche for a month by the Galeries Lafayette department store, designing the windows of the flagship store in Paris, and creating interior decoration for the whole chain. It counts among its achievements creations for Cacharel Perfu-mes, Le Printemps Hausmann, Kenzo Perfumes, Vogue Cigarettes, Universal Music, EMI Music... His personal work is frequently exhibited in France and abroad.

AKROE





NEILKRUGNeil Krug, photographer and filmmaker from the Midwest has young eyes with an old soul. Krug’s work often touches on a vintage, psychedelic feel and yet he manages to capture beauty simply. His body of work ranges from music promos for bands Ladytron, Sea Wolf, Boards of Canada, DRI, and White Flight, to photography and commercial work for collaborative project PULP ART BOOK with Joni Harbeck, to shooting and directing his upcoming fea-ture film, “INVISIBLE PYRAMID”. Edgy, simple, and ambitious.



Daniel Sparkes (Müdwig) has become distinctive within the subversive British art scene since early part of this century with his disturbing style of surreal situationism born of rare debauched determination. Employing mediums ranging from huge inflatable and spray-painted murals to finely detailed ink drawings, he creates works often hard to define, yet instantly recognizable due to its absurd comic slant upon his peculiar perception of the real. Sparkes has produced imagery for clients such as Nike, Sixpack France, Redbull and Warp Records. His work has been featured in books published by Thames and Hudson, Die Gestalten Verlag or magazines such as The Face, Juxtapoz and Dazed & Confused. Sparkes now works purely as a fine artist, producing drawings and paintings for exhibition. He has exhibited in the UK, Europe and North America and has upcoming shows in London, Sweden and Los Angeles.

DANIELSPARKES





Russell Maurice has a dual injection brain. A two-stroke engine. A graphic and a pictorial machine. After becoming famous in the world of anony-mous graffiti (Gasface) and later in the graphic design and textiles (Gasius), Russel Mauritius has decided not to hide anymore behind a nickname. As if his departure from the queen house of camouflage, Maharishi, for which he was one of the heads of graph section, gave him the wings to claim his perso-nality. When Russel Mauritius appears as such, it is to play another partition, with different tunes, far from the imperatives of commercial deadlines. It’s time for abstraction with lines, colours, shapes and light… As a matrix, his obsession for the connection between man and nature unfolds in all its dimen-sions, more or less conscious, without anymore media or meaningful message restrictions. His work has been presented in different exhibitions such as the “New Technology Needed”, or “La Maison Verte” at the Maharishi Churchill Gallery in London.

RUSSELLMAURICE



The ill-studio is a French group of collaborators devoted to fine arts. Their goal is to bring ten individuals together, working in various artistic areas such as graphic design, photography, typography, illustration, video, motion design, etc. The studio provides an environment wherein its member’s comple-mentary influences meet, and contribute to the stimulation and development of the whole, whether the works produced are created collectively, or individually. The ill-studio is Léonard Vernhet, Thomas Subreville, Nicolas Malinowsky, Thierry Audurand, Sébastien Michelini, Pierre Dixsaut, Harold Urcun, Artus de Lavilléon, David Luraschi and Fred Mortagne. Its clients include Jean-Charles de Castelbajac, Marithé + François Girbaud, Sony, Charles Jourdan, Ramdane Touhami, and Uniqlo.

iLL-STUDIO





A SERIES OF 15 POSTERS Inspired by the short movie

«It was on earth that i knew joy»


Jonathan Zawada / AU Seb Jarnot / FR

Sanghon Kim / FR Cody Hudson / US


Piotr Lakomy / PL Neil Doshi / US

//D.I.Y / CH Benbo George / UK


Museum Studio / SE Museum Studio / SE

La Boca / UK Justin Krietemeyer / US


Lowrider / CH Partners & Others / US

Faker / FR House Of Kids / FR



Documents

It Was On Earth That I Knew Joy