A clamor

The Centre des Monuments Nationaux and Pays de Gex agglo are pleased to announce the exhibition A clamor, curated by Max Bondu, Bénédicte le Pimpec and Guillaume Robert, which will run from June 29 to September 22 in two heritage sites: Château de Voltaire in Ferney-Voltaire and Fort l'Écluse in Léaz.

A clamor brings to mind a collective shout, a powerful voice, a shared impulse. It is the expression of a crowd, a group, a community whose cry makes itself heard, even as its force dies out. This exhibition springs forth from a state of potential, with the power to call the established order into question. Still, the massive energy that it emanates remains distant and vague, like an indiscernible promise. The title is an audible and political manifesto that echoes a growing shared outcry. A clamor engages with the spheres we commonly share—earth, air, water, language, subsistence—in order to emphasize the role of a protean oeuvre that takes many forms, one that echoes current crises. 

In his novel La Zone du Dehors (The Outer Zone) science-fiction author Alain Damasio refers to little megaphones scattered throughout the streets as “clamors”, conferring a political dimension upon these objects which burst forth at each turn of the road, shouting, heckling, debating, rebelling against the propaganda of the establishment. In that spirit, A clamor gives voice and form to works that challenge the dissonance of the world as it turns today and cry out for such things as the transformation of the soil, suspended moments of silent presences, the spreading of forests, “extractivism”, evolved agricultural and railway systems, human phonemes, and songs of revolution.

A clamor brings together around twenty local and international artists whose works range across the breadth of the visual arts, from painting to performance, by way of sculpture, film, photography and audio installations. A clamor will be shown in both venues simultaneously, allowing for two contexts for the exhibition. Consequently, the two spaces can, separately or consecutively, provide different perspectives, both from a curatorial, as well as an artistic, standpoint. 

Formerly a military citadel overlooking the Rhône river, the Fort de l’Écluse is built into the mountainside at a strategic point between the Jura and Alpine mountain ranges. The fort dominates the river and is located along the Col de la Cluse mountain pass that unites France and Switzerland, and through which travelers and goods have circulated for over eight centuries.

In its heyday, Voltaire’s Château at Ferney was not only the abode of the famed philosopher, but also the battlefield where he took up arms against the problems of his time. It consists of a vast residence with outbuildings, a chapel and a park. The chateau was Voltaire’s residence for twenty years, during which the village of Ferney expanded and evolved. 

These two heritage sites have histories that stand in stark contrast to each other. One was a space dedicated to war and defense, the other evokes a realized utopia and a living space, dedicated to the exploration of philosophy and politics. Nevertheless, both places share strategic features and are vibrant collective spaces, representative of their region. 

Participating artists: Atelier Paysan, Max Bondu, Mathilde Chénin, Félicien Goguey, Salômé Guillemin, LB Plantes, Faire argile, Louise Hervé & Clovis Maillet, Lou Masduraud, Krishna May, Uriel Orlow, Dominique Petitgand, Marie Preston, Delphine Reist, Jean-Xavier Renaud, Simon Ripoll-Hurier, Pascal Rivet, Guillaume Robert, Maud Soudain, Célia Picard & Hannes Schreckensberger.

Curators: Max Bondu, Bénédicte le Pimpec, Guillaume Robert 

Château de Voltaire 
Allée du château, 01210 Ferney-Voltaire

Fort l'Ecluse
Route de Genève, 01200 Léaz