Alfetta GTV stages ( tragic) artisitc comeback in Paris

[Paul Gulliver]

I was in Paris a couple of weeks ago and visited the Pompidou Centre (Museum of Modern Art) . There was an exhibition by Bertrand Lavier . One of his  major exhibits was an Alfetta GTV.  What a tragic end to a great car.

[Repco Lad]

Was Bertrand in it at the time?

[Evan Bottcher]

Perhaps he was le drunk and rolled it?  Very Tracey Emin.

[Paul Gulliver]

Was Bertrand in it at the time?

He had some later works on display, so i don't suppose it was meant to be his shrine. Actually the shell looked like it was in pretty good nick until Bertrand worked his artisitic magic on it. Hardly any rust and a bloody good rear hatch although it was a little twisted.

Maybe i better get Paul Rankin  (Rankin panels Bayswater)to give Bertrand a buzz.

Gully

[Sheldon McIntosh]

Bertrand found the car like that at a wreckers, so don't be too harsh on him.  I'm not sure there were too many usable parts left on that car.

It doesn't explain why the work is titled "Giulietta" however, or why it is now valued at over $100,000.......

[pancho]

Don't fret, it should buff right out.

[aggie57]

Paul - you mean he did that on purpose?

[Sheldon McIntosh]

Paul - you mean he did that on purpose?

Sorry, didn't realise I'd need to clarify my post.  Bertrand found this car at a wreckers, in this condition.  He barely touched it, other than to make sure it could be exhibited, and to do what would be needed so that it would last without rusting away.  He 'made' this piece in 1993.

Bertrand is either making a comment on, or contributing to, the movement started by Picasso and/or Duchamp called alternatively 'found objects' or 'ready-mades'.  Basically, art created from objects that wouldn't normally be considered art, generally exhibited unaltered.   I only say that he might be making a comment on the movement, because he's been quoted as saying that rather than a 'ready-made', this is more of a 'ready-destroyed'. 

Evan was right on the money, Tracey Emin is the most recent (in)famous exponent of the art-form, after she was awarded a major art prize for exhibiting her unmade bed.

I couldn't possibly comment on what the piece 'means', but it at least got a few people thinking on this forum, so it's probably worth it. 

And this is from the catalogue of the exhibition that is currently on...(didn't you read it Paul?)....:-

With Bertrand Lavier, the readymade slips away
from its inventor Marcel Duchamp. The Bottle
Rack that Duchamp had bought in 1914 to
transform it into a work of art was a neutral, cold,
industrial object, a pure concept. The Giulietta –
the crashed Alfa Romeo that Lavier went to
"save" from a scrapyard in 1993 is a radical
change from the Duchamp model. With this car,
the industrial object is no longer faithful to its
original concept: something obviously happened
to that car, which shows itself, in its present
state, as a genuine bundle of emotion.

[aggie57]

Its a crazy world we live in - I have some old parts in my garage that we can swing off the engine stand you have Sheldon.  Must be worth a cool mil or two.....

[Sheldon McIntosh]

Its a crazy world we live in - I have some old parts in my garage that we can swing off the engine stand you have Sheldon.  Must be worth a cool mil or two.....

I'm still trying to convince my (artist) Missus to let me put my unused 2.5 V6 in the middle of the lounge-room.  Maybe this will convince her....

[Paul Gulliver]

And this is from the catalogue of the exhibition that is currently on...(didn't you read it Paul?)....:-

Thanks Sheldon,  a great post. Art critic , another side to your multi  faceted persona.
I didn't get the chance to read all the exhibition notes. In fact i pinched the photo from the Galleries web site. I have some other photo's of the car  from the exhibition  but having trouble retrieving them.
I don't know if you have this problem, but when we go away my wife  ( artist) will take 2 - 3000 photos. I take maybe 10 if i need to or not . Its then bloody hard to  to find my 10 , if in fact they haven't already been deleted.

Gully 

[Paul Gulliver]

Bump

He barely touched it, other than to make sure it could be exhibited, and to do what would be needed so that it would last without rusting away.  He 'made' this piece in 1993

Thats where the $100,000 went

[Sheldon McIntosh]

I don't know if you have this problem, but when we go away my wife will take 2 - 3000 photos. I take maybe 10 if i need to or not . Its then bloody hard to  to find my 10 , if in fact they haven't already been deleted.

No Paul, I don't have that problem.  Would love to hear more about your marital situation though....   I also want to see the 9 photos you didn't need to take.

Thats where the $100,000 went

Brilliant.

[Beatle]

Is it art?   I think not.  Or if it is, it certainly shouldn't be attributable to Lavier.  He doesn't seem to have actually created it, and hardly even influenced it.  I guess you could say he packaged or presented it.

Surely it's plaigiarism of Giugiaro's art?  Art which is both practical and functional (OK, Alfettas are occasionally functional )

$100K !!!  Please don't tell my local wrecker what you can get for a smashed up Alfetta coupe these days.

PS:  Has anyone told Lavier that it has aftermarket wheels fitted?  He loses concourse points right there  

[Jekyll and Hyde]

I'm thinking Neil must be kicking himself about now....