PUBLICATION OF
L’EFFET PAPILLON, 1989 – 2007
June 21 – September 13, 2008
Opening June 20, 2008 (from 6 pm)
Opening Hours: Tuesday to Friday from 2.30 pm to 6.30 pm
Saturday from 2 pm to 5 pm
18, rue Saint-Léger
1204 GENEVA
+41 22 310 51 70
L’EFFET PAPILLON, 1989 – 2007
The title of this book, L’Effet papillon, is used here as a metaphor for the free and uncontrolled propagation of ideas. It alludes to the often delayed effect of an action, a work of art or an exhibition, which sometimes becomes a reference for the general public as well as the specialists. This “effect” is mentioned in the conversation between Hans Ulrich Obrist and Véronique Bacchetta, published in this catalogue, in order to underline the recurring difficulty for an art space or a contemporary art exhibition of never being
fully legitimized.
This publication tells, through its archives, the story and evolution of a particular institution – the Centre d’édition contemporaine –, relates its production and its artistic policy, and establishes its place, status and commitment in the field of contemporary art. The spanned period, 1989-2007, is situated long after the creation of the Centre genevois de gravure contemporaine (in the 1960s) which became, in 2001, the Centre d’édition contemporaine. It corresponds to a period during which the Centre opened and developed itself toward a contemporary art in fast mutation. Covering these nineteen years of activity, this book tries to illustrate and comment them, to catalogue and describe them in detail. It is organized in three parts. The first one brings together texts dealing either directly with the Centre as a reference point or, more generally, with publishing through analyses of its recent history – particularly that of the 1960s-70s –, of its different production and distribution strategies or, more directly, of personal experiences. At the center of the book, a section of colour photographs documents such exhibitions, critical choices and moments deemed crucial to the Centre’s journey and its program. The third part forms the factual side of this development, a catalogue composed of all the editions, exhibitions, events, collaboration and various invitations which, month after month, have formed the “biography” of this place. This last segment is followed by a series of “Snapshots,” a kind of affective addition to the catalogue.
Published by the Centre d’édition contemporaine, Geneva, 2008
L’EFFET PAPILLON, 1989 – 2007
Catalogue, French, texts by Véronique Bacchetta, Sylvie Boulanger, Lionel Bovier, Brian D. Butler (English/French), Philippe Cuenat, Thomas Hirschhorn, Christoph Keller (German/French), Hans Ulrich Obrist, Alexis Vaillant, 432 pages, 17,5 x 23,5 cm, 61 color ill., 278 black/white ill. ; design: Schönwehrs, Geneva ; printed by Musumeci S.p.A., Quart (Aosta Valley, Italy) ; publication of the Centre d’édition contemporaine, Geneva, 2008 ; distributed by JRP|Ringier, Zurich ; ISBN 978-3-905829-77-8.
The catalogue will be presented at the Centre d’édition contemporaine along with posters by Schönwehrs, the figurines “Les Pisseuses” by Angela Marzullo (edition given to the 2008 members of the association of the Centre d’édition contemporaine) and a soundtrack by Tommi Grönlund.
About the Centre d’édition contemporaine
The Centre d’édition contemporaine (Cec) combines the production of printed matter and multiples, and a program of exhibitions which testify at the same time to the specific field of edition and to contemporary art.
Swiss and international artists, emerging or established, are invited each year to exhibit and to realize an edition: prints, publications, artist’s books or multiples.
The Cec has produced, among others, editions of John Armleder, Olivier Bardin, Monica Bonvicini, Claude Closky, François Curlet, Andreas Dobler, Vidya Gastaldon & Jean-Michel Wicker, Fabrice Gygi, Thomas Hirschhorn, Karen Kilimnik, Jakob Kolding, Elke Krystufek, Jérôme Leuba, Olivier Mosset, Gianni Motti, Kristin Oppenheim, Giuseppe Penone, Mai-Thu Perret, Florian Pumhösl, Anne-Julie Raccoursier, Christophe Rey, Markus Schinwald, Roman Signer, Rosemarie Trockel, Luc Tuymans, Emmett Williams and Heimo Zobernig.
For more information, please go to www.c-e-c.ch
The catalogue has been published thanks to the help of the Publishing Support Fund of the Republic and Canton of Geneva and has received, among others, the support of the Contemporary Art Fund of the City of Geneva and the Sandoz Family Foundation.
The Centre d’édition contemporaine is supported by the Department of Culture of the City of Geneva, the Swiss Federal Office of Culture, the Pour-cent culturel Migros and benefits by a partnership with the Fondation Nestlé pour l’Art.
