and Tell 15 May 2012 › 21 October 2012 On view from May 15 to October 21, 2012, the exhibition Histoires de voir: Show and Tell presents the works and narratives of over 40 painters, sculptors and filmmakers from around the world. They are Brazilian, Indian, Congolese, as well as Haitian, Mexican, Danish, Japanese and American. They hail from the urban centers of Paris and Port-au-Prince, or the rural communities of the Amazon and Madya Pradesh. They emerged as artists and developed their talents in uncommon circumstances; they have often been considered as naïve artists and have rarely been invited to exhibit their works in contemporary art institutions.

1. FINE ARTS
May 15 › October 21, 2012
HISTOIRES DE VOIR
Histoires de voir From May 15 to October 21, 2012, the Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain
will be presenting Histoires de voir, Show and Tell, an exhibition that brings together
Fondation Cartier pour l’art a wide spectrum of artistic works from all over the world (Brazil, Japan, Europe,
contemporain, Paris Haïti, India, Mexico), ranging from naïve and self-taught art to the art of indig-
French version only enous cultures. While they express the deeply personal visions of their creators,
Hardback, 26,5 x 31,5 cm, these works are also inextricably linked to their times and to their specific geo-
240 pages, 350 black-and-white graphical regions, revealing, each in their own way, an intricate cosmos of history,
and color reproductions mythology, folklore and magic.
Texts written by specialists such Via a scenography designed to be vibrant, light and colorful by the renowned Ital-
as Bruce Albert, Laymert Garcia ian designer Alessandro Mendini, the sculptures, paintings, drawings, and films
dos Santos, and Sally Price presented in the exhibition will usher visitors into a world of enchantment. The
ISBN: 978-2-86925-097-0 works selected transcend the limited categories predefined by art history to ex-
Price: 47 € press a certain spontaneity and creative freedom in relation to conventional artistic
Publication date: May 2012 codes whether it be in terms of their use of color, their choice of materials or their
composition.
Many of the works will come from Brazil, including paintings by Alcides Pereira
dos Santos and sculptures by José Bezerra, João Cosmo Felix (aka “Nino”) and
Cícero Alves dos Santos (aka “Véio”) as well as traditional ceramics of Isabel
Mendes da Cunha. Visitors will also discover artwork from the Guarani, Huni Kui
and Yanomami indigenous communities.
Contemporary Indian art will be highlighted through an astonishing series of
works that will include pieces by tribal artist Jivya Soma Mashe, who paints with
cow dung, or the multi-colored paintings of Jangarh Singh Shyam.
Although these works come from a wide variety of cultures and geographical ar-
eas, they share certain formal characteristics such as their exuberant approach
to form and color, their strangeness in terms of scale and perspective, and their
frequent portrayal of animals in their natural environment. A complementary se-
lection of iconic pieces by Danish painter Hans Scherfig, sculptures of Dragiša
Stanisavljevi and drawings of Mamadou Cissé will thus also be on display as part
of the exhibition.
Finally, Japanese artist Tadanori Yokoo will exhibit a series of paintings inspired
by the work of Henri “Le Douanier” Rousseau; these works, with their playful allu-
sion to so-called “naïve” art, perfectly illustrate the spirit of freedom that character-
izes all of the works showcased in this exhibition.
Designed as an extension of the exhibition, the Histoires de voir catalog is also
thought as a series of stories about artists and their works but also some of their
communities. With over 300 images of sculptures, paintings and drawings on dis-
play, an important visual documentation, and essays by specialists, the book pro-
vides a unique opportunity to learn about the contexts in which these artists work.
Complementary, Laymert Garcia dos Santos and Sally Price provide a critical look
at the exhibition.
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