SECONDARY: Matthew Barney Returns to the Fondation Cartier
From June 8th to September 8th, the Fondation Cartier for Contemporary Art is home to Matthew Barney’s first institutional exhibition in France in over a decade. This video installation called “SECONDARY” is an immersion in the complex and often brutal universe of American football through the unique point of view of the artist.
The focal point of this installation is a tragic event that took place on August 12th, 1978, during a game between the Oakland Raiders and the New England Patriots. Defender Jack Tatum collided violently with receiver Darryl Stingley, paralyzing him for life. This incident, broadcast over and over in the sports media, left a permanent mark on the collective imagination of American football fans, including young Matthew Barney, who was a rookie quarterback back then.
The installation consists of five videos filmed in the artist’s sculpture studio in Long Island City, New York. They feature eleven performers, mainly elderly dancers, performing on a reconstructed American football field. For sixty minutes, these performers, including Barney himself, re-enact the dramatic action unfolding on the field. “SECONDARY” explores the complex overlap between real violence and its representation, as well as its glorification in the sports entertainment industry. The exhibition not only recalls this tragic incident, but also questions our fascination with violence, as well as its emotional and cultural repercussions.
Known for his provocative works and multidisciplinary approach, Matthew Barney offers here a poignant and powerful reflection on sport, violence and collective memory. A must-see exhibition for anyone interested in the connections between art, sport and society.
During the opening, alongside Matthew Barney, we met David Thompson, Aurélie Filippetti, Maja Oeri, Elizabeth Peyton, Alain Dominique Perrin, Chris Dercon and many others.
Photos: Jean Picon
