Description

Immediate dispatch from Somerset. Book in excellent unread/unused condition. Written in multi language including English. Tate Gallery stamp in front. See images. Fantastic book.

About the book >.>.> Belgian-born Marie-Jo Lafontaine is a distinctly European artist. The inspiration for many of her works has come from the writings of European philosophers and poets (the Germans Nietzsche Heidegger and Rilke the Spaniard Lorca the Portuguese Pessoa or the Frenchman Baudelaire) quotations from which she incorporates into her work in their original language. As an artist she gives voice to the pain of present-day Europe and to the agonies of European history. Lafontaine is best known for her dramatic video installations two of which are included in the current exhibition. Yet her artistic activity encompasses a wide range of media from weaving and sculpture to photography monochrome painting and the use of language and writing. Despite the diversity of media her work displays a consistency in its approach and choice of themes focusing on fundamental existential experiences on issues extending beyond the bounds of a specific time and place such as the ambivalent relationship between violence and eroticism and the duality of beauty and terror body and soul. She repeatedly touches on the existential anxiety – both private and universal – which dominates us all and confronts it through sublimation. It is only through a familiarity with the whole array of Lafontaine’s work that one can grasp its coherence and achieve a true understanding of her inner world. The exhibition in Tel Aviv presents two of the artist’s latest works-the video-sound installation Jeder Engel ist schrecklich and the installation combining photography and monochrome painting History Is Against Forgiveness both of 1992. Shown alongside these are two earlier works – Victoria a video-sound installation of 1988 and Savoir retenir et fixer ce qui est sublime of 1989. The catalogue treats these works in detail as well as presenting a brief overview of the development of Lafontaine’s work since 1979. The exhibition could not have been realized in its present scope and character without the close involvement of the artist who gave willingly of her time and energy; she has been a constant source of encouragement and provided us with her guiding inspiration throughout all stages of planning and execution. We are most grateful to her and to Mr. Martial Thomas who assisted her in mounting the exhibition. We are deeply grateful to the Flemish Ministry of Culture for as generssus financial supporn (SP)