Workshop on fairground art
October 4, 2018 - May 23, 2019
Twice a month on Thursday
Reservation required
Atelier d'art forain
Lafayette Anticipations
A bi-monthly workshop on fairground art led by Mathis Collins
Mathis Collins was invited by Lafayette Anticipations to devise a collective workshop based on creation, conversation and encounters around Baroque fairground art and the wider context of political struggle from which it emerged. The participants’ own interests, experiences and/or knowledge will feed into the form and theme of a fairground booth they will collectively develop over a series of 15 sessions led by the artist. The booth will be inaugurated during a fun fair in May 2019.
Taking his cue from carnival communities, Collins wants to constitute a group of regulars from all walks of life who together will develop and build the main part of the booth. This core group will be joined by various guests – anthropologists, architects, craftsmen, historians, fairground artists, scenographers and writers – who will be asked to participate actively by discussing and further investigating the theme of the fairground object, its history and future public manifestation. It is expected that thanks to the contributions by the various guests the collective work will evolve over the course of the meetings and that it will eventually inspire further participation through its use by the public at large. The group will experiment and create with various techniques ranging from papier-mâché to airbrush painting, wood carving and making perforated cardboard music for barrel organs.
Wednesday 10 October
Private viewing of musée des arts forains
Thursday 25 October
Drawing workshop
Meeting with Grodwohl, historian of fairground art
Thursday 8 November
Drawing workshop
Thursday 22 November
Workshop around Zoé Beloff's work of art
Thursday 6 December
Writing workshop
with Théo Robine-Langlois, poet and artist
Thursday 10 January
Monumental painting workshop
with Vittorio Brodmann, artist
Thursday 28 February
Papier-mâché workshop
Thursday 14 March
Make-up workshop with the artist and ceramist Clément Garcia - Le Gouez
Thursday 28 March
Fairground booth stage and textiles with the artist Anina Troesch.
Workshop to create the front of the stand in fabric
Thursday 11 April
Fairground art and lights
Workshop and stand brought to light
Research’ results of images for "fun fair lights"
Thursday 25 April
Fairground art and Titles
Workshop to choose the titles, characters, stories and quotations
Thursday 9 May
Fairground art and Spectacle
Workshop to test the stand
The workshop is open to everyone from curious minds, enthusiasts and handymen to artists, amateurs and, more generally, anyone interested in art, crafts and social history. Expect a warm and welcoming atmosphere!
Practical information
Participation in the workshops is free of charge. However, registration is required. While participants are encouraged to become involved for the whole duration of the project, applicants who can only attend a certain number of sessions are also welcome.
Wednesday 10 October
Private viewing of musée des arts forains
Thursday 25 October
Drawing workshop
Meeting with Grodwohl, historian of fairground art
Thursday 8 November
Drawing workshop
Thursday 22 November
Workshop around Zoé Beloff's work of art
Thursday 6 December
Writing workshop
with Théo Robine-Langlois, poet and artist
Thursday 10 January
Monumental painting workshop
with Vittorio Brodmann, artist
Thursday 28 February
Papier-mâché workshop
Thursday 14 March
Make-up workshop with the artist and ceramist Clément Garcia - Le Gouez
Thursday 28 March
Fairground booth stage and textiles with the artist Anina Troesch.
Workshop to create the front of the stand in fabric
Thursday 11 April
Fairground art and lights
Workshop and stand brought to light
Research’ results of images for "fun fair lights"
Thursday 25 April
Fairground art and Titles
Workshop to choose the titles, characters, stories and quotations
Thursday 9 May
Fairground art and Spectacle
Workshop to test the stand
The workshop is open to everyone from curious minds, enthusiasts and handymen to artists, amateurs and, more generally, anyone interested in art, crafts and social history. Expect a warm and welcoming atmosphere!
Practical information
Participation in the workshops is free of charge. However, registration is required. While participants are encouraged to become involved for the whole duration of the project, applicants who can only attend a certain number of sessions are also welcome.
Workshop on fairground Art
Lafayette Anticipations
Workshop on fairground Art
Lafayette Anticipations
Clash-Boule, 2018-2019
© Julien Goniche
Mathis Collins is a Franco-Canadian sculptor and performer who organises collective workshops and public events around popular and grotesque objects or practices linked to craftsmanship. The often absurd objects resulting from these workshops question the way popular artefacts are generally exhibited.
The techniques and themes explored by Collins’s work range from harvesting cork oak to ornamenting a bottle of alcohol, from coffee tables to clown shoes, from art schools to Parisian urchins, and from Second Empire caricature to contemporary experimental art-education methodologies.
Mathis Collins studied art in Cergy, Metz, Montreal and Brussels before attending Open School East in London. His work has been shown a.o. at Palais de Tokyo, Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris, Friche Belle de Mai in Marseille, Riijksakademie in Amsterdam, 1m3 in Lausanne and Longtang in Zurich.