09/09/10French artist Thierry Geoffroy / Colonel investigates the 'dialogue with northern Africa' in Murcia
Thierry Geoffroy / en Murcia
Thierry Geoffroy / Colonel, one of the participating artists of Manifesta 8, brings to the Region one of his well-known television formats in which he, portrayed as a reporter following in the footsteps of the - likewise - television inspector Columbo, will investigate the evidence, tracks, strange facts, and the malfunctions in our society, and expose them to the public.
His research object will be Manifesta 8, particularly the thematic core of this edition: the dialogue between Europe and Northern Africa. The Colonel declares himself a fan of art biennials and is quite fond of analyzing the situation of the dialogue set out in the Murcia Region. The artist will try to pass it on to the public from a critical point of view in order to motivate them, alert them to the dangers of mass society, and encourage and train their critical thinking.
The installation presented in two cells in the former San Anton prison will be another pillar of his project. One will show the visitors the results of the investigations carried out in Murcia and the other will accommodate one of the formats with which Colonel has been experimenting during the last years: the Penetration Room.
The Penetration Room consists of an exhibition space, which Colonel offers to other artists who not have been invited to Manifesta 8. The space is intended to enable the penetration of artists coming from northern Africa in Manifesta 8, facilitating the dialogue as proposed by the Biennial. With this action Colonel tries to stir up consciences and to reflect on the situation of those who, after crossing the Strait of Gibraltar, went to prison. In this way, the Penetration Room will establish a parallel, not without irony, between those people and the artists.
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