Tribute to B.
by
Bernard H. Desrousseaux
Exhibition curator : Jorge Cañete
November 2024 - February 2025
Opening in the presence of the artist on Thursday, November 21 from 6:30 p.m.

Bernard H. Desrousseaux's exhibition is a poetic tribute to Christian Bobin, an outstanding literary figure who died two years ago. The artist explores the profound links between Bobin's universe, marked by the delicacy of his words, and his own pictorial language. Desrousseaux weaves a dialogue between poetry and images, where each work becomes an extension of Bobin's writing, a way of paying homage to his way of seeing the world. It's not just a visual interpretation, but a true translation of poetry into visual art.

At the heart of this exhibition is a reflection on writing and image, in which the artist seems to question the very function of language. Echoing literary theories such as those of Roland Barthes, Desrousseaux seeks to deconstruct meaning. The text becomes a stand-in for the image, just as the image is superimposed on the text, both containing a secret: the place of the viewer. The viewer, like a reader, is invited to discover what lies behind the apparent surface. This exhibition is not just a visual exhibition, but a sensitive experience in which the gaze and interpretation are central to the work.

Through his works, Desrousseaux brings to light a questioning of perception and understanding. Can we really see what we don't know we've seen? This question, inspired by the writings of Siri Hustvedt, calls into question our immediate relationship with the image. The artist plays with this ambiguity, echoing the complexity of human perception, where seeing is never a simple act. The works presented reveal the fragmentation of the visible and the way in which our mind constantly reconstructs what is seen, while leaving room for the invisible, the unspoken.

In this way, the exhibition invites deep reflection on memory, perception and the subconscious. Images, like words, become portals to inner worlds where each viewer is free to explore his or her own memories and emotions. This poetic and philosophical approach to art offers an immersive experience, where we travel between reality and imagination, between what we think we see and what we don't know we've seen. It is in this uncertain exploration that the true magic of Bernard H. Desrousseaux's exhibition lies.




BIOGRAPHY:


Bernard Henri Desrousseaux is an internationally renowned multidisciplinary artist whose work is distinguished by a singularly poetic approach to the visual arts. Trained at the École Nationale Supérieure d'Arts et d'Industrie Textile (ENSAIT) in France, as well as at the École d'Arts de Saint-Denis and the Université Paris VIII, he has immersed himself in the exploration of forms and materials, creating an artistic universe that is both profound and enigmatic. Founder of the École Trace in Switzerland, he has passed on his artistic vision through innovative teaching methods, highlighting the importance of experimentation in contemporary art.

Desrousseaux's artistic career is marked by numerous prestigious exhibitions throughout Europe. From the Légion d'honneur in Saint-Denis, Paris, to major installations at the Palais Nazional in Corté, Corsica, his works challenge and question. His link with Switzerland is particularly strong, with regular exhibitions in galleries in Lausanne, Lutry and Grandson. These venues have become refuges for his plastic explorations, where the artist constantly questions the relationship between space, material and the viewer's gaze. Among his most notable installations, the Atelier Trace in Lutry and the visual and sound performances of the “Ceci Cela” cycle in Lausanne reveal the breadth of his work and his ongoing quest for dialogue between disciplines.

Desrousseaux is also renowned for his residencies at emblematic sites such as the Château de Soisy-sur-Seine in France and the Église Saint Saphorin in Switzerland. His installations, such as “Lumière calcinée” and “La balançoire”, express a profound reflection on landscape and disorientation. Through his performances and publications, notably “VOIL” and “Corps étrange”, he pursues a philosophical quest, exploring the boundaries between the visible and the invisible, earth and sky. His works, always at the crossroads of matter and idea, invite the viewer on an introspective journey, both intimate and universal.