Renaud Héléna

Renaud Héléna

Portfolio-02/31Presentation-32CV-33

View of “Casina” with Rémi Magnouat, 2020, Saint-Gimer Chapel, Carcassonne

Untitled (dead space), 2020, 26 cards set, digital drawing, rules booklet, cut paper, pencils, dices, various dimensions, “Casina”, Saint-Gimer Chapel, CarcassonneUntitled (module n°4), 2020, plaster, crepe paper, 25 x 35 x 7 cm, “Casina”, Saint-Gimer Chapel, Carcassonne

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Untitled (walls), 2020, indian ink on paper mounted on greyboard, 40 x 20 x 15 cm

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Untitled (race), 2018, gouache and ink on paper mounted on greyboard, bookbinding cloth, 20 x 40 cm, “Casina”, Saint-Gimer Chapel, CarcassonneUntitled (bleuet house model), 2020, indian ink on paper mounted on greyboard, bookbinding cloth, 60 x 40 x 20 cm (various dimensions), “Casina”, Saint-Gimer Chapel, Carcassonne

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Untitled (chromomachy) is an abstract game, offering the players the chance to collectively produce an arrangement of shape and color. But beyond the formal aspect, a story is written as the players engage, choose between offensive or defensive, react to opposing strategies. The work offers a staging of situations studied in neuroeconomics (the game of trust, of ultimatum) to evaluate emotions and rationality in individual decision making and to shed light on the role of notions of justice and reciprocity in social interactions.

Untitled (Chromomachy), 2020, set of 60 game pieces (4,20 x 8, 40 cm), gouache on paper mounted on MDF and on greyboard, varnish, 20 x 13 x 5 cm (various dimensions)

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Untitled (Kriegspiele - quatrarmes), 2020, fabric, pencil, paraffin wax, 48 x 28 cm, “Casina”, Saint-Gimer Chapel, CarcassonneUntitled (séance), 2019, set of 120 cards, digital text and drawing, rules booklet, hourglass, paper mounted on greyboard, various dimensions, “Casi-na”, Saint-Gimer Chapel, Carcassonne

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Untitled (seance) is inspired by ice-breaking games and hidden identity games. Players are invited to share truths about their past and their project, but according to the game, they must also lie. The encounter is never complete yet a bond is created around the constraint, producing another kind of truth.

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Untitled (séance), 2019, set of 120 cards, rule booklet, hourglass, various dimensions, “Foretelling”, Schaffen Wir Galerie, BerlinUntiled (séance table), 2019, table, cardboard, crepe paper, varnish, 60 x 60 x 75 cm, “Foretelling”, Schaffen Wir Galerie, Berlin

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Will you ever have more free time?

Auras-tu un jour plus de temps libre ?

Si tu pouvais remonter le temps et annuler une chose que tu as dite ou faite, laquelle choisirais-tu ?

If you could go back in time and erase one thing you said or did, what would it be?

Deviendras-tu

ami-e avec une

intelligence

artificielle ?

Will you become

friend with

an artificial

intelligence? What was one of the

most beautiful thing

you have seen?Quelle était l‘une des

plus belles choses

que tu aies vue ?

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View of “Foretelling”, 2019, Schaffen Wir Galerie, Berlin

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Untitled (tricks), 2019, crepe paper, greyboard, wood, rope, 240 x 160 x 80 cm, “Foretelling”, Schaffen Wir Galerie, Berlin.

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View of “End game” with Rémi Magnouat, 2016, St-Hilaire Abbey, St-Hilaire

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Untitled (corso n°3), 2014, crepe paper, grid, wood, 130 x 170 x 213 cm Sans titre (corso n°1), 2012, crepe paper, grid, drying rack, 80 x 200 x 80 cm

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Untitled (corso n°4), 2015, crepe paper, grid, fridge, 120 x 140 x 96 cm, “End game”, St-Hilaire Abbey, St-Hilaire

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View of “Dungeons”, 2018, Projektraum Ventilator, Berlin

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Untitled (map), 2018, gouache on paper mounted on greyboard, bookbin ding cloth, 30 x 30 cmUntitled (stages), 2018, ink on paper mounted on greyboard, bookbinding cloth, 28 x 38 cmUntitled (why), 2018, gouache on paper mounted on greyboard, bookbin ding cloth 29 x 38 cm

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Untitled (easy money), 2018, gouache and ink on paper mounted on greyboard, bookbinding cloth, 30 x 30 cmUntitled (moving by colors), 2018, gouache and ink on paper mounted on greyboard, bookbinding cloth, 41 x 41 cm

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View of “Dungeons”, 2018, Projektraum Ventilator, Berlin

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Untitled (dungeon), 2018, gouache and ink on paper mounted on greyboard, bookbinding cloth, 60 x 45 cm (various dimensions), “Dungeons”, Projektraum Ventilator, BerlinUntitled (display furniture), 2018, cut carpet, wood, shelf brackets and table (various dimensions), “Dungeons”, Projektraum Ventilator, Berlin

Untitled (mona), 2018, gouache and ink on paper mounted on greyboard, bookbinding cloth, 40 x 30 cm, “Dungeons”, Projektraum Ventilator, Berlin

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View of “Self Help”, 2016, Spinnerei, LeipzigUntitled (emotions), 2016, gouache on lana 300g/m2 paper, 31 x 41 cm

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Renaud HélénaIn appreciation of

your diligence and commitmentApril, 2016

The “Self Help” series is a writing and drawing project inspired by the world of personal development. In Untitled (trophy), I play with the company trophy that situates the workplace as the sole reference point for success and I exaggerate the positivism to make the rhetoric meaningless. The texts echo back to the emptiness of this langage but also suggest its ambivalence when we animate it with our desires.

Untitled (trophy), 2016, text and vector graphic, plotter print, “Self Help”, Spinnerei, Leipzig

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Untitled (cedar chart), 2016, gouache on 300g/m2 lana paper, 31 x 41 cm

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New Message

To

From [email protected]

Kindness Chain

Cc Bcc

Inbox

Starred

Send !

COMPOSE

Gigglemail

!""#$%&&'()*+,),,*-&'()*&.&/&0"(123'4)5167086'#6$-25-3 9:$.;:9

</+/=+9>:9<%?@A5167B:865"(8"C,),,*-'()*:B:D),,*-'()*

YOU’RE IMPORTANT TO ME

(Their Name),I probably don’t say this as o en as I should, but you’re one of the most (adjective) people in my life. You’re always ( a great quality) and (2nd great quality). Plus, I can always count on you to (verb), especially when I’m (a mood). In short, you’re the best!

(your sign o ),(Your name)

Download on the

App StoreGet it on

D66,*- play

FOLLOW US f !

How It Works Business Solutions Terms of Service Privacy Policy

2016 © Happy-app, Inc. All Rights Reserved.Happy-app does not provide medical advice, psychiatric diagnosis or treatment.See additional information.

Untitled (metaphor), 2016, text and vector drawing, plotter print, “Self Help”Spinnerei, LeipzigSans titre (kindness chain), 2016, text and vector drawing, plotter print, “Self Help”, Spinnerei, Leipzig

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View of the video installation “Nil Darpan”, 2017, “Der Blaue Raum”, Jüdisches Museum Berlin

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BRITISHPLANTERS

(SAHEB)

TOGETHER WITH INDIAN ARISTOCRATS AND LAND-OWNERS (ZAMINDARS) EAGER TO ASSIMILATE THE BRITISH CULTURE AND ECOMONY.

SUPPORT FROM MIDDLE CLASS, INDIAN ARISTO-CRATS AND LANDOWN-ERS (ZAMINDARS), AND MISSIONARIES

The government appointed the indigo commission, and finally, the peasants’ demands were partially met with the passage of the Rent Law Act of 1885.

PEASANTS(RYOTS)

OPPRESSION AND

COERCION

Though the natural blue dye never lost its sheen, its produc-tion in India under the British saw a tremendous decline after synthetic indigo dye was devel-oped by German chemist Adolf von Baeyer in 1878.

INDIGOREVOLTIn the autumn of 1859, localized acts of resistance by the peasantry against colonial economic poli-cies turned into a general uprising in nine districts of Bengal. They decided not to grow indigo and revolted against the planters who were backed by police and the courts.

HIGH DEMANDIN EUROPE FOR INDIGO DYEAs soon as the American revolution began to threaten indigo shipments from Britain's North American colo-nies, a plan took shape around 1770 to turn Bengal into the Britsh textile industry's main supplier of blue dye.¹

1 Pierre-Paul Darrac, Willem van Schende, Global Blue: Indigo and Espionage in Colonial Bengal (University Press Ltd., 2006), 18.

Bengal Indigo Contracts Act, Act 10 of 1836, enacted by the Governor-Gener-al-in-Council, helps to consolidate Brit-ish rule over indigo farming by enforcing its cultivation.

The planters insisted that indigo be cultivated on the best soils on which peasants prefered to culti-vate rice. However, indigo plants exhaust the soil fertility and make the land unfit for rice culti-vation.

BRITISH EAST INDIA COMPANY

(BEIC)

NIL DARPAN, THE INDIGO PLANTA-TION MIRRORNil Darpan, written in 1860 by Dinabandhu Mitra, is a drama de-picting the pitiable condition of Bengali peasants under the tyranny of indigo planters . The Rev. Mr. J. Long, first publisher of the English version, was indicted for publishing foul and malicious libel. “Nil Darpan brought the struggle for power among state officials, church missionaries and the indigo plant-ers to its culminating point.”¹ It “thus catalyzed a policy of dramatic censorship that was to become another legal mechanism of imperi-al control over the cultural life of the colony.” ²1

2

Nandi Bhatia, Acts of Authority/Acts of Resistance Theater and Politics in Colonial and Postcolonial India (Oxford University Press, 2004), 30. Ibid., 34.

DEBTSThe Ryots didn’t suc-ceed in making enough money to repay their loans to planters and were forced to contin-ue cultivating indigo to cover their debts. The cycle of loans was nev-er-ending.

The planters forced the ryots to sign a contract to cultivate indigo. The peasants received a loan from planters to cultivate their land. The village headman was also forced to sign an agreement on behalf of the ryots.

RYOTWARI SYSTEM

USE OF FINGERPRINTAround 1858 Chief Magistrate Sir William James Herschel first used fingerprints on every contract made with locals. “Herschel found himself enforcing the brutal contracts for indigo between Zemindars, peas-ants and manufacturers. [...] All of the accounts of the emergence of colonial fingerprinting stress the power of the logic of writing in shap-ing the trajectory of co- ercive sys-tems of registration in India.”

1 Keith Breckenridge, Biometric State: The Global Politics of Identification and Surveillance in South Africa, 1850 to the Present (Cambridge University Press, 2014), 63.

The BEIC lowered the price of indigo to 2,5 % of the market price.

RYOTWARI SYSTEM

RYOTWARI SYSTEM

Untitled (schema), 2017, text and vector drawing, plotter print, 98 x 170 cm, “Der Blaue Raum”, Jüdisches Museum Berlin

This series of works was conceived as part of an art project based on the encounter between artists and refu-gees. I based my work on the play Nil Darpan, the indigo mirror written by Dinabandhu Mitra during the indigo revolt in Bengal in 1861. It describes the horrors of exploitation, the bruta-lity of racism and the violence com-mitted by English settlers to force Bengali peasants to produce indigo for Europe.

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Ray. What could I have

said? He began to mark off the land, carv-

ing a bright red line in the ground as if he was thrust-ing a burning stick into my heart. I fell at his feet, offered him money, but he didn't listen. He said, “Go to your Eldest Babu! Go see him, he's the master.” I told him I'd take him to court. Ray stands up, Khetromany and Reboti move to the right

(Seeing the foreman at a distance from the left)

Look, that bastard, he's coming with

his guards.

They will take us to the Saheb's factory.The Foreman and the two

Guards enter from left, Sadhu walks towards The Foreman, the two Guards

go behind and hold each Sadhu and Ray,

Reboti walks forward and Khetromany

steps back-ward.

The Foreman. Bind the

hands of that damned Ray, that dirty pig, tie him up

now!The Guard ties Ray's hands and

Reboti walks over to SadhuReboti. (To the foreman) Oh, my god! What are

you doing? It's horrible! (To Sadhu) Don't stand here looking at this! Go to the Eldest Babu's house and tell him to come.The Foreman. (To Sadhu) Where do you think you're going? You come with me, you hear? We won't make any advance payment to this Ray. It's not enough to sign with your thumbprint. You are educated, you will sign your name on the factory account book.

Sadhu. Sir, do you call this giving me an advance on indigo? Aren't you just forcing it down my

throat instead? (To the audience) Oh misery, you're still with me. This land was Rama's

kingdom before indigo was established here. Now see your poor son becoming a

beggar and famine has spread across this land.

Reboti. (Walks over to the foreman, pointing at Ray) Show him mercy! At

least let him drink some water.The Foreman. (Aside, observ-

ing Khetromany) That girl's good looking, the

young Saheb would be

happy if he

under Nobin's influ-ence, he's been trying to damage our indigo crop.

The Guards untie Ray and SadhuSadhu. My Lord, I've never done anything to your indigo, nor will I today. I'm a poor ryot, I only have twenty bigahs of land. If nine are used for indigo, obviously I'm not going to be happy. But my Lord, what's in it for you? It's only my death.Gopi. The Saheb fears you will have him locked up in your Eldest Babu's godown.Sadhu. Now, Mr. Secretary, you give a dog a bad name and hang him. How should a meaningless creature like me imprison the mighty, the powerful Saheb?Gopi. Sadhu, stop your rhetorical blubber-ing. It doesn't sound so good coming from a peasant's mouth. It's like a sweeper's broom touching my body.Mr. Wood. That rascal has become very wise.Gopi. My Lord, since the school opened in the village, the ryots are making more and

more trouble!Mr. Wood. I'll write our Indigo Plant-

ers' Association to petition the Government. We'll fight until

the schools close.Gopi. That fool wants

to bring the case to court.

Mr. Wood walks towards Sadhu

Mr. Wood. (To Sadhu)

Y o u p i e c e

o f shit

!

Bas-t a r d ! You have twenty bigahs, we're just going to use nine for the indigo. Why can't you grow rice on the rest?Gopi. My Lord, we can easily take over the twenty bighas...

Sadhu. (To himself) Oh my god...! The witness for the spirit-seller is the drunkard! (Openly) Indigo requires four times as much work than paddies. And if I have to grow indigo myself, what's left will remain barren.Mr. Wood. Bastard! Scum! Take the ad-vance payment and grow the indigo, you piece of shit! (Grabs Sadhu's wrist and pull him towards the table and kicks him with his feet) You're going to get a taste of my whip! (Takes the whip)Sadhu. My Lord, why swat a fly and soil your hands, we are...Ray. (Angrily) Sadhu, shut up my brother and sign the paper they gave you... The day is almost over and we haven't been able to either bathe or eat yet. I'm starving.Gopi takes Sadhu's hand and press it in the

inkstand and then on the paperMr. Wood. So you didn't go to the court yet, admit it, you fool! (Twists Ray's ear and makes him kneel)Ray. (Breathless) Oh mother! Mother...! It hurts...Mr. Wood. Bloody digger, you're in for it! (Whips Ray)

Nobin enters from rightRay. Oh Baro Babu, I'm dying! I need some water. They're killing me.Nobin. Saheb, if you whip all your peasants to death, who's going to cultivate your indigo? Please, let them go.Mr. Wood. (To Nobin) Mind your own busi-

ness!Sadhu. Last year, you took four

bighas of my most

near h i m ! H o w awful! T h a t horrible o n i o n smell!R e b o t i . M o t h e r , t h a t d a m n e d woman just said, “If you d o n ' t s e n d h e r w i t h me, his

g u a r d s w i l l take her.”

Sabitri. We don't live in a

country

tary, do your lousy job, give him the ad- v a n c e payment.

Mr. Wood walks away from left and Gopi gives paper to Sadhu

Act ISCENE 4

The Eldest Babu's hall,Soirindri , Sabitri and Aduri

are seated on the sofa,Reboti and Khetromany enter from right

Soirindri. Welcome, my dear sister, I was hoping you'd visit.Reboti. Thank you for your kind words. Khetro, bow down before your aunts.

Khetromany bows downSoirindri. (Blessing Khetromany) Remain with your husband for life; wear vermilion even in your white hair, and the next time you go to your father-in-law's house, take your new-born son with you.

Nobin calls from aside "Aduri"Sabitri. (To Soirindri) Oh! my daughter, go. I think, he's asking for water.Soirindri. (To Aduri) Aduri, he's calling you.Aduri. Calling me, but asking for you.Soirindri. Smart mouth...! Sister Ghose let's meet another day.

Soirindri leaves from left,Sabitri, Khetromany and Reboti sit

Reboti. Oh my mother, now that we're alone. Some great danger has befallen me. Podi, the sweetmeat maker, came to our house yesterday. Sabitri. My god! My god! Who allows that nasty fool to enter your house? What's left of her virtue? It's over for her, she's known to be a real hooker.Reboti. My mother, but what could I have done? My house isn't surrounded by walls.

And you know what she told me? The thought of it makes me shiver. This dread-

ful creature told me that the young En-glish planter, as he was riding his horse,

saw Khetromany and fell for her. She wanted to bring my daughter to the factory.Aduri. How awful...! What a horrible smell of onions! How can we stay next to a Saheb. Awful! Awful! To breathe this horrible onion smell! I can bear anything but the smell of onions... How awful!R e b o t i . That foolish w o m a n says, he will give u s money, leave our

r i c e field and also pro-vide our son-in-law

with a good job. I curse money! Is virtue some-thing to be sold? Has it any price?Aduri. Oh, that beard! When he speaks he bleats like a goat, he never shaves and doesn't stop eating

onions. I could never get

planters are also Sahebs, aren't they ?(Silence) Now evening has come upon us, Reboti Ghose, you better go home. May the Goddess Durga be with you.Reboti. I'll go mother.

Khetromany and Reboti exit to the right

Act VScene 2

The bedroom of Nobin BasuAduri pushes the bed onto the stage

Aduri. Ah! What should I do? Where to go now? My heart is broken. They've beaten him so severely that he's barely breathing...! Our mistress will die when she sees him. Sadhu. (Aside) Aduri, can we come now?Aduri. Yes, yes… Bring him. No one's here.

Enter Sadhu and Torapa carying Nobin's corpseSadhu. (Laying Nobin's body on the bed) Where is our mistress?Aduri. With everybody outside waiting for him. Will she survive when she sees her dead son? How many people's lives will be destroyed now that the Eldest Babu will never get up again! Why did he let his son go to the Saheb today?Sadhu. Our madam and Soirindhri begged Nobin not to go. Soon after, he brought me to the indigo field along with Torapa, and with tears in his eyes, he said to the English, “Sir, I bring you a present of fifty rupees. I beg you, only for this year, to stop planting indigo in the rice fields. Even if you don't accept, please take the money and, out of pity, don't sow this land before my father's funeral is over.” This monster replied, “Your father hung himself in the English prison like thieves and robbers do.” Then kicking Nobin's knee, he said: “This is the gift for your father's ceremony.”Aduri. Oh my god! Oh my god! (Placing his hand on his ears)Sadhu. Nobin's eyes became red, then he jumped on the En-glish who fell to the ground. The factory's chieftain and ten guards stood around him. The Eldest Babu had once saved them from a case of robbery; so they felt a bit ashamed to raise their hands against him. (Silence) The English gave a blow to the chieftain, took his stick and smashed it against Nobin's head. His head fractured open. Nobin fell to the ground unconscious. Then Torapa, who was observing from a distance, rushed violently towards the group, took Nobin's body and fled.Torapa. The Eldest Babu told me to stand back since they might attack me. But I wouldn't have hidden if I had known they would beat Nobin... If I had jumped in sooner, I would have saved him. Oh! Allah! He helped me so many times, but I wasn't able to defend him once. (Placing his hand on his face)Aduri. What is this blood around Torapa's mouth?Sadhu. Torapa was furious. Like an wounded mongoose showing its teeth and biting, he bit off the english man's nose.Torapa. I'm keeping his nose. I'll show it to Nobin as soon as he gets better. (Shows the nose) If the English hadn't run away, I would have torn his ears off too, off that bastard. I will hide inside the barn, and when night falls, I'll run away.

Act IScene 2

The house of Sadhu ChurnRay enters from left (coming back from work, tired and sweaty)

Ray. (To the audience) That bas-tard of a foreman, what a beast! He came upon me like a tiger.I thought he was about to eat me… That villain didn't hear a word, and violently marked off the ground where to plant the indigo. But if they take five bigahs, how will I be able to feed my family? (Raises his hands) How can I

keep going if they don't give me back my land?

Khetromany enters from left

I s your father here?

Khetro. He's gone to the Eldest Babu's house,

but he'll be back soon. What were you talking about?Ray. Nothing. Now, bring me some water, would you...? I'm dying of thirst.

Khetromany exits to left(To the audience) I begged and begged, but that pig wouldn't listen!

Sadhu enters from rightSadhu. Ray, why did you come so early?

Ray. It's this bastard

of a foreman! He's

marked off our land. How shall we eat? How will we survive...? With these lands, we used to be able to pay back all our debts! (To the audience) What a disaster! What this white man's indigo has done to

us?Ray falls on his knees and covers his face with his hands

Sadhu. We were hoping to farm this land and now,

if it's gone, why should we stay

here? (Putting his hands on Ray's

shoulder) Don't cry little brother...

Khetromany and Reboti enter with a water bottle from leftTomorrow we'll sell the plough,

the cows, say goodbye to this village and go work for the

Zemindary Babu Basanta. Khetromany gives the water

to RayNow, have some water, don't loose hope, drink... Tell me, what did you say to the fore-man?

could get his hands on her. But since

he didn't promote me de-spite me giving him my sister,

why would he do it for this girl instead...? But, she's not that

bad! No harm in trying.Reboti. Khetro, go to your room.Khetromany leaves from the rightThe Foreman. Now, Sadhu, don't make any trouble, come with me to the factory.Reboti. (To the foreman, holding him) Oh, Sir! He just wanted to

drink some water... How can he go to the Saheb, which

is so far away, without eating first? (To

the audience) Why did we

come to this damned place just to become beggars? We're doomed.The Foreman. Oh, stupid woman! Stop grunting. If you want to give him water, do it

quick or else I'll take him.They all leave to the left, the Foreman being the

last

Act IScene 3

The factory of Be-gunbari. On the verandah of the

large bungalow,Mr. Wood and Gopi stand

next to the table upon which is paper and an inkstand.

Sadhu, Ray and the two Guards enter from right

Mr. Wood. Why are these bastards' hands

tied up with ropes? Gopi. My Lord, this

Sadhu is a well known ryot.

But

f e r -tile land. Today,

the foreman has taken the rest. All of this has been

done without my consent. What can I say, Sir? But I guaran-

tee you that I will grow your indigo without any advance pay-ment.Mr. Wood. What? If there's no ad-vance, there's no rules, bastard, dirty pig, ungrateful…! (Whips him)Nobin. (Covers the back of Sadhu with his hand) My Lord, you've almost killed him! This poor man has a whole

family to feed…! You also have a family,

Saheb! How would your wife feel if you were

taken prisoner at dinner time?Mr. Wood. (To Nobin) Shut up, you piece of shit! You

will sign for an advance of sixty bighas for

indigo plantation. Then, afterwards, I will let you go, or else I will break

that whip on your head!Nobin. Oh Mother

Earth! Never,

without laws where villains do as

they please. Under Brit-ish power, no one can

kidnap anyone!Reboti. Oh Mother! Any form of violence can be committed in a ryot's house. Taking away the women and forcing their husbands to accept the ad-vance payment to grow

indigo.Sabitri. What anarchy is

this! This is horrible! Did you inform Sadhu?

Reboti. N o , mother. He was already mad be-

cause of the indigo. If he hears this, he might, out of rage, bash his own head with an axe.Sabitri. Very well, I'll ask my husband to talk

to Sadhu. What mis-fortune this is!

T h e s e i n d i g o

planters can do a n y -

t h i n g . Then why do I hear that the Sahebs are reli-a b l e ? These En-glish

e v e r in my life, have I

been so humiliat-ed...! (Laments)Gopi. Nobin, you

better go home, don't make anymore trouble.Nobin. Sadhu, pray to God. He's the only one standing by the help-less.Nobin walks away from right and Ray walks

next to SadhuMr. Wood. Slaves

and sons of slaves...!

S e c r e -

Untitled (hand), 2017, text and vector drawing, plotter print, 98 x 170 cm, “Der Blaue Raum”, Jüdisches Museum Berlin

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View of the video installation “Nil Darpan”, 2017, “Der Blaue Raum”, Jüdisches Museum Berlin

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29 Untitled (Nil Darpan), 2017, video, 20 mn, online version: https://vimeo.com/229578103

The video was produced from workshops where participants in the art project improvise together and evoke scenes from the play using mime exercises and dramatic games. The lack of theatrical play creates a radical distance between the performance and the dramatic, even brutal, character of the text.

View of “Suburb”, 2015, Pop-up Galerie Schaffen Wir, Berlin

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Untitled (bus shelter), 2014, PVC, crepe paper, glue, 91 x 140 x 110 cm

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Untitled (trolley shelter), 2015, molded paper maché, 120 x 200 x 110 cm (various dimensions), “Suburb”, Pop-up Galerie Schaffen Wir, BerlinUntitled (automatic doors), 2015, cut polypropylene, 100 x 200 cm (various dimensions), “Suburb”, Pop-up Galerie Schaffen Wir, Berlin

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The installation for the exhibition “Suburb” is a set of origamic architectures, moulds and video game projection. Supporting one another, the superimposed works treat viewers to an experience both physical and mental. Inbetween sculpture and architecture, all works form fragments of cityscapes, which are both familiar and strange, impossible to situate in time and space.

View of “Suburb”, 2015, Pop-up Galerie Schaffen Wir, Berlin

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Untitled (fence), 2015, PVC, recycled clothing, 130 x 100 x 10 cmUntitled (point-and-click n°3), 2015, flash animation, computer, beamer

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This pointandclick video game ironically illustrates the interior of these commercial showroom where the experience of reality is reduced to a series of commonplaces. Through generic interactions, the viewer explores a virtual space which mixes the public and the private.

“the lamp doesn’t work” “it’s a fake laptop”

f

Filmstill from untitled (point-and-click n°3), 2015, flash animation Music : Michael HohVoice : Michael Hoh, Verena Spilkeronline version: http://www.renaudhele-na.fr/sans_titre_pointer_cliquer_3.html

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View of “Rest area”, 2009, L.A.C. (Lieu d’art contemporain), Sigean

Untitled (belvedere), 2009, MDF, hinges, acrylic paint, 500 x 170 x 200 cm (various dimensions)

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My work features a visual vocabulary consisting of cutouts, molds, texts and games. The pieces, sometimes supporting one another, recreate precarious installations using notions of structure and surface. I play with games and theater codes to set up a “weak magic” and blur the line between reality and fiction. My work evokes a meandering space within the fantastic and mundane where normative structure and marginal behavior overlap.

On the one hand, I translate ordinary architectural elements and street furniture into fragile popup sculptures cut according to a principle, which links the volumes to their spatial planes, leaving them leaning on structures or simply lying flat on the floor. I create casts molded in crepe paper or paper mache. They form fragments of landscapes somewhere between set design and architecture, which are both familiar and strange.

Along with this, I write texts suggesting cinematographic fragments or protocol’s testimonies taking various forms like internet forums, recipes, mind maps, and where I play with the common place and generic dimension found in langage. I try to push the language’s possibilities to their limits, until the experience of reality is reduced to a series of platitudes. I also create vector drawings that are assembled into flash games where, through coded and predefined interactions, the player explores a virtual space which mixes the everyday and the exceptional, the public and the private but also restricts him to a superficial experience.

Once the scenery collapses and truth momentarily becomes false, words wander. Then, hollow conversations and witches’ recipes of love potions may remain where authenticity has left.

Presentation

SOLO AND DUO EXHIBITIONS

2020 “Casina”, with Rémi Magnouat, SaintGimer Chapel/ Carcassonne (Fr)2019 “Foretelling”, with Jason Harrell, Popup Galerie Schaffen Wir / Berlin2018 “Dungeons”, Projektraum Ventilator / Berlin2016 “Fin de partie”, with Rémi Magnouat, StHilaire Abbey / StHilaire (Fr)2015 “Suburbe”, Popup Galerie Schaffen Wir / Berlin2014 “Fade to Grey”, with Céline Germès, Théâtre impermanent / Leipzig2009 “Aire de Repos”, L.A.C. (Lieu d’art contempo rain) / Sigean (Fr) “La fête continue”, Médiathèque Georges Duret / PortlaNouvelle (Fr)2006 “Die Nacht durch bewertet zu durchqueren”, Galerie SKAM raum e.v. / Hambourg “Traverser la nuit par les côtés”, Dominican Chapel / Carcassonne (Fr)

COLLECTIVE EXHIBITIONS AND PROJECTS

2018 “TheGalleryProject”, ReTramp / Berlin2017 “Der Blaue Raum”, Jüdisches Museum Berlin / Berlin “Weltstadt”, Agora Rollberg / Berlin

“TheGalleryProject”, Raamatupood Puänt / Tallinn (Est) “TheGalleryProject”, Yalta Club Art Room / Sofia (Bul) “TheGalleryProject”, Patra / Prague (Cz)2016 “Self Help”, Großer Frühlingsrundgang, Spinnerei / Leipzig2015 “Céline Germès & Renaud Héléna”, Großer Herbstrundgang, Spinnerei / Leipzig2013 “Qui de nous deux ressemble-t-il le plus à l’autre?”, Hand Art Publisher / Berlin “Pareidolia”, 48 Stunden Neukölln / Berlin2012 “Laboratorium”, 48 Stunden Neukölln / Berlin 2011 “My atelier is burning”, 48 Stunden Neukölln / Berlin2009 “Pop-up!”, Médiathèque Pierre Cochereau / Sigean (Fr)2008 “The Web”, Collective 7 / Toronto (C)2007 “Permission d’octobre”, Maison Eclusière / Toulouse (Fr)

RESIDENCIES AND WORKSHOPS

2018 “Stand Up Art”, conference, BBB centre d’art / Toulouse (Fr)2018 “Troubleshop”, workshop for “TheGalleryPro ject”, ReTramp / Berlin2011 “Troubleshop”, workshop for UEEH, Fine Art

School / Marseille (Fr)2010 “Mettre à plat, une praxéologie de l’erreur”, workshop at the Jules Fil Highschool with Joe Bousquet Center / Carcassonne2009 “Du geste à la trace”, workshop, National Theater / Narbonne (Fr) Residency at the Victor Hugo Highschool with the L.A.C. / Narbonne “L’Art de la Fête”, workshops at Victor Hugo’s, La Nadière’s and Corbières Maritimes’s Highschools / Narbonne, PortlaNouvelle, Sigean2008 “La découpe”, workshop at the communal art school / Carcassonne

GRANT

2019 Aide Individuelle à la Création (Art Project Fund) / DRAC Occitanie (Fr)

STUDIES

2018 Training Program “Profession Artiste”, BBB Art Center / Toulouse2006 DNSEP (MFA) Fine art school / Toulouse

Renaud HélénaBorn in 1982 in Aix en Provence (Fr)Lives and work in Berlin

[email protected]+49 157 38288878

www.renaudhelena.fr

Documents

Renaud Héléna