Anna Klossowski, Charlotte Morel, Louise Grislain
When art meets the everyday life
“Art is what makes life more interesting than art”, Robert Filliou
Anna Klossowski, Charlotte Morel and Louise Grislain created We Do Not Work Alone in 2015 to offer usual objects by artists. The name is inspired by the essay written by Japanese potter Kawai Kanjiro, which brings together reflections on artistic creation. The granddaughter of Balthus, daughter of Loulou de la Falaise and Thadée Klossowski de Rola, as well a the goddaughter of Yves Saint Laurent, Anna Klossowski is part of a leading creative and artistic lineage. But the young woman has found her own way and made a name for herself in the world of contemporary art. After her art history studies, she created KGM with two of her classmates – for Klossowski, Grislain and Morel – which later became We Do Not Work Alone. The project offers artists to work on everyday objects. We met with this trio making art truly accessible.
The fourth edition of NOW! at Sotheby’s was held on February 28th, take a look back at the exhibition opening HERE
How did the We Do Not Work Alone project come to life ?
We met at Sorbonne university as part of a Master training curators. Then we worked in galleries for modern and contemporary art, while curating exhibition showcasing young artists. We love working with artists, going on studio visits and learn from their always very personal knowledge of art history, the way they look at works from the point of view of the ones who create them. We wanted to work with them in a more committed and direct way, to reflect our belief in the capacity of art to change life, paths and perspectives. According to Robert Filliou: “art is what makes life more interesting than art.” It’s a famous quote, but it is always relevant to us. This is how We Do Not Work Alone, a publishing house that produces usual objects by artists, was born!
How do you select your artists?
Initially we selected artists with whom we already had artistic and friendly relationships, such as Oliver Sévère or Matthieu Cossé. Since then we have expanded our field of action, but it’s important for us to have full control on our choices, as well as a strong diversity that reflects our varied interests. For some artists, the question of object and use is inherent to their work. For others, on the contrary, it is a matter of taking an important step to translate a vocabulary into a functional object. It is this range of possibilities that we want to explore.
You have just collaborated with Sotheby’s for its NOW! auction. Is this a new territory for We Do Not Work Alone?
Contemporary art fairs, supermarkets, DIY stores or museum shops: we like to show our editions in the most varied contexts possible, confronting them with all realities. For us, the NOW sale, which offers accessible works and mixes art and design, suggests a relationship to art directly linked to everyday life. NOW!, as We Do Not Work Alone, is an incentive to start a collection with accessible works that do not create a distance with the viewer.
Interview by by Serge Carreira, Associate Professor at Sciences Po
