Details:

This drawing on newspaper is part of a series by the artist depicting the commedia dell'arte character Pulcinella. The artist began creating these works during the pandemic lockdown in New York City, drawing images of Pulcinella on newspapers delivered to his residence.
Framed: 13.8 x 9.0 x 1.5 in.
Each work is 4.5 x 5.5 in.

① Artwork:

Pulcinella Study (Outside like animals)

This drawing on newspaper is part of a series by the artist depicting the commedia dell'arte character Pulcinella. Bismuth began creating these works during the pandemic lockdown in New York City, drawing images of Pulcinella on newspapers delivered to the artist's residence. Rather than adhering to a preliminary concept, Bismuth worked in pursuit of an idea—that of comedy, with Pulcinella serving as its cipher. For the artist, the character inherently resists any characterization. The artist chose to create these works using processes and materials that were inherently receptive to contingency and deviation. This allowed Bismuth to work with, rather than against, the errors and disruptions he encountered along the way. These works embody the artist's exploration of how representations of the world shape and inform our decisions and interactions. The artist's practice frequently combines visual art and literature to call both language and image into question.

Specs:

9 inches
13.75 inches
1.5 inches
13.75 inches
with frame
9 inches
13.75 inches
1.5 inches
13.75 inches

③ Artist:

Julien Bismuth

Julien Bismuth works at the intersection between visual art and literature—calling language and image into question by intertwining the two. The artist’s work includes performance, collage, installation, video, photography, sculpture and drawing. Synthesizing from a wide range of critical and cultural investigations, Bismuth probes the ways in which our representations of the world shape and inform our decisions and interactions.

BIO:

Julien Bismuth was born in Paris, France in 1973.

Exhibitions of Bismuth’s work have taken place at: Nomas Foundation in Rome, Italy; Centre d'art La Criée in Rennes, France; the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York City; Galerie Emanuel Layr in Vienna, Austria; Galerie Parisa Kind in Frankfurt, Germany; LACE in Los Angeles, California; Les Abattoirs in Toulouse, France; Simone Subal in New York City; GAK in Bremen, Germany; The Box in Los Angeles, California; and Crac Alsace in Altkirch, France.

Group exhibitions that have shown Bismuth’s work have taken place at: FRAC in Marseille, France; the Oslo Biennalen in Oslo, Norway; the 14th Cuenca Biennial in Cuenca, Ecuador; Frac île-de-France in Paris, France; MAAT in Lisbon, Portugal; the National Art Gallery in Sofia, Bulgaria; the Centre d'Art Contemporain Parc St. Léger in Pougues-les-Eaux, France; Belvedere in Vienna, Austria; the Museo Marino Marini in Florence, Italy; Manifesta 10 in St. Petersburg, Russia; IAC in Villeurbanne, France; Kunsthalle Wien in Vienna, Austria; ICA Philadelphia in Pennsylvania; and Schirn Kunsthalle in Frankfurt, Germany.

Bismuth’s performances have been hosted at international institutions, including: the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris, France; the Villa Medici in Rome, Italy; the Palais de Tokyo in Paris, France; MUSAC in León, France; the Fondation Ricard in Paris, France; and the Tate Modern in London, UK.

Bismuth’s work is in many private and public collections, including: the Autriche Serralvés Foundation in Porto, Portugal; the Belvedere Museum in Vienna, Austria; FNAC in Paris, France; Frac Ile-de-France in Paris, France; the Guggenheim Museum in New York City; and the Jumex Collection in Mexico City, Mexico.

Bismuth, along with the artist Jean-Pascal Flavien, is the co-founder of Devonian Press. 

Bismuth has engaged in a series of collaborative projects in Brazil with Indigenous groups and the researchers that work alongside them.

Bismuth lives and works in New York City.

Julien Bismuth:
Pulcinella Study (Outside like animals), 2020
White ink and pencil on newspaper
13.8 × 9.0 × 1.5 inches /
Julien Bismuth:
Pulcinella Study (Outside like animals), 2020
White ink and pencil on newspaper
13.8 × 9.0 × 1.5 inches /