L. BAE, T. BASSEL, J-B. BOYER, P. CONVERT, E. ESSER, V. GICQUEL, A. KIRILI, C. LAPIE, H. NITSCH

Under the new, refurbished glass roof, RX&SLAG is hosting a group exhibition focusing on sacrality. Nine of the gallery’s artists have come together to celebrate the link between individuality and collectivism.
Sacrality is an answer to questions that humans have been asking themselves since the beginning, a response to an unknown emotion or an unexplained phenomenon. It allows us to move from the natural towards the supernatural, and to explain reality and phenomena that are beyond human comprehension. Beliefs are often linked to a religion, but differ according to a variety of factors: time, geography, history, etc.
The sacred is also linked to the notion of light. Traditionally, in spiritual places, light has been used to create a space for sacrality in a variety of different ways, whether by the light within an image or by the light emanating from a building. But what about the representation of the sacred through light today? How does the sacred manifest itself? In the past artists have often depicted the sacred by illustrating antiquity or decorating places of worship. But in an increasingly secular society, is the sacred still a subject for contemporary artists?

The Sacred: exhibition space and subject
Sacred spaces have been transformed into exhibition spaces, creating a link between the sacred and contemporary art. Some of RX&SLAG’s artists have had the opportunity to exhibit in these places of worship, linked to their beliefs. The Abbey of Mont-Saint-Michel was the setting for an exhibition by the Franco-German photographer Elger Esser, while Vincent Gicquel exhibited the preparatory drawings for the Stations of the Cross commissioned by Pinault at the Church of Saint- Eustache. The Royal Abbey of Fontevraud, the burial place of French sovereigns, hosted this year an exhibition by Pascal Convert.
The sacred also appears in the works of contemporary artists. Vincent Gicquel produced a version of Christ’s Stations of the Cross, and Tirtzah Bassel illustrated an episode from the Bible. The sacred fascinates and inspires: Pascal Convert experiments crystallizing wood in glass, creating a more fragile and damaged representation of Christ.

Beyond religion
Other artists use religious symbols to add a sacred dimension to their work, while moving away from traditional representations. Alain Kirili transforms the cross of Christ, giving it a modern touch, while the painter Jean-Baptiste Boyer integrates this same symbol, placing it in the hands of a young boy who appears to be lost. These works are not explicitly religious, but contain an obvious spiritual dimension, without being linked to any biblical reference.
Light is also a sacred symbol, used since the dawn of time to symbolise a superLight supernatural and spiritual dimension. The Korean artist Lee Bae plays with this light in his natural charcoal works: the reflections of burnt wood shimmers before our eyes, inviting us to reflect on this light emerging from the deepest darkness. For his part, the Austo Austrian artist Hermann Nitsch produces canvases in vibrant, luminous colours, creating trian an almost mystical atmosphere. The sacred is an omnipresent energy, bubbling up and seeking to burst forth from the canvas to touch the viewer. Through its intenand intensity,color succeeds in arousing an emotion, sity,as if to remind us that sacrality can also be found in a purely aesthetic experience. Christian Lapie’s works also have a mysterious, almost mystical aura. These guardians, erected in the four corners of the world, are intended to protect the fraternal dians, bond that unites all civilisations. The artist places this fraternity, which he describes as sacred, at the heart of his concerns. His sculptures bear witness to a universal aesthetic that transcends reality.

More than religion, what stands out in this group of works is the idea of a universal sacredness, inherent in the existence of mankind, and yet one that will resonate with each individual in a multitude of different ways.