Decouverte (hé oui !) : Christophe BURGER
Hé oui ! je croyais « connaître » Christophe Burger … hé bien non ! nouvelles (anciennes) découvertes !
Les bijoux de Christophe Burger sont « curieux » pour moi, dans le sens où à priori « ce n’est pas mon genre » de bijou, mais ils sont LA, présents, si légers, si … juste une esquisse -un lien, une transparence- si « conceptuels » et en même temps si … présents, pragmatiques, techniques, « pas prise de tête », comme faits d’objets de tous les jours, usuels, venus de mondes techniques (un câble informatique, une lentille photographique, une corde de raquette etc …), ils s’imposent par leur « absence », leur discrétion, ils ne sont « rien », un câble, un galet, et pourtant leur présence est forte … ils n’appellent pas, ils sont « juste » là, attendant, patiemment, qu’on les regarde, qu’on les touche, qu’on les tourne et retourne, entre l’oeil et le doigt, qu’on leur prête attention ….
« Before being any precise object, jewellery is a gesture
A gesture to appropriate the world
It is a token of our humanity
It expresses one thing alone: human relationships
Jewellery reveals and weaves ties between people » Christophe Burger
J’avais « vu » partout ce pendentif « X » …
Christophe Burger ‘Pendant X’ 2004 Pendant – silver, plastic
« Malk describes the work of Christophe Burger as ‘Tender, diffusing images, difficult to perceive.’ (Malk 2001: 192 ) The subtle and simple construction of Burger’s Pendant X series belie his powerful personal commentary on gender. When light is transmitted through the frosted plastic or glass, the gendered code is revealed, otherwise it is hidden from public view against the skin or clothing. » (Jack Cunningham – Narrative themes )
Christophe Burger – Pendant Sandblasted Glass Hollow Lens Stainless Steel Cable
je n’avais rien « vu » ……………
Christophe Burger – Silver / Silverleaf Ring
Here is something basic for those who approach Christophe Burger’s work. He wrote it in 1999 for a solo show in Barcelona entitled « Translucidez » :
« Translucency / Distanciation
In an era when one part of the world is striving to accelerate exchanges –of information, technologies and currencies, or between individuals- while the other part seems to question this and occasionally suffer from this acceleration, the question of the relations between form and substance remains a crucial issue.
In search of values, of unquestionable markers, I can legitimately attempt to examine my creative work in light of these relations: how can I convey what I want to express and what is the meaning of that to which I give shape – including sometimes through conventional formulae, if I’m not careful ?
It was through reading an article about the Internet by Japanese writer Kenzaburo Ôé, that I was able to establish connections between certain developments in my work and to better understand them.
For some time already I have been using, in my jewellery as well as in art pieces, a certain number of materials sharing the common denominator of translucency : sandblasted glass, various papers (Japanese, silk, tracing papers,…), paraffin wax and heat shrinkable tube. The clearly stated aim of these obstacles to vision, to direct perception, is of course to create the tension –implying due attention- required to enable true meaning to shine through.
In his article, Kenzaburo Ôé evokes this distance, this tension, in relation to Russian formalism and more specifically to the process the formalists called «ostranenie», best defined as defamiliarization, or estrangement. This literary process, which consists in delaying the transmission of meaning, «serves to restore to words the resistance one senses when touching objects».
It is this particular sentence that enlighted me.
To produce meaning through gradual revelation to (re-)establish consistency through a certain resistance, seems to me to quite accurately describe the nature of my approach as an artist and a jewellery designer. « C.Burger/ April 1999
Christophe BURGER – necklace - Collier «Galessence» – Galet / Câble Inox / Gaine thermorétractable (2010)
sterling ring by Christophe Burger for Lapponia Jewelry
Christophe Burger – Shoulder Pendant* Sandblasted Glass Goldleaf / Stainless Steel Cable Silver
(This piece got broken and later transformed) – ce pendentif a été cassé, et transformé en ce bijou ci-dessous, mon préféré ……
Christophe Burger – Reconstruction Sandblasted Glass / Goldleaf / Patinated Silver - « The cleaning lady let it* drop. We would like something totally different with the broken pieces »
Christophe Burger – Reconstruction Sandblasted Glass / Goldleaf / Patinated Silver - « The cleaning lady let it* drop. We would like something totally different with the broken pieces » (DETAIL)
Christophe Burger - Necklace Patinated Brass / Japanese Paper / Tennis Racquet Nylon String / Silver / Fine Gold / Heatshrink Tubing / Stainless Steel Cable
Christophe Burger – Necklace Patinated Brass / Japanese Paper / Tennis Racquet Nylon String / Silver / Fine Gold / Heatshrink Tubing / Stainless Steel Cable (DETAIL)
Christophe Burger – Necklace Patinated Brass / Japanese Paper / Tennis Racquet Nylon String / Silver / Fine Gold / Heatshrink Tubing / Stainless Steel Cable (DETAIL)
Christophe Burger – « Jewelry & the Sacred » « The Threshold » Bracelet Sandblasted Glass Japanese Paper Aluminium
le papier doit-il être déchiré pour pouvoir porter le bracelet ? curieusement cette idée m’enchante (l’idée) et m’épouvante (l’acte) ….
Christophe Burger – Pendant Silver / Nylon / Quartz lens
Christophe Burger – « Time & Gender » Silver Rings In french there are two words to designate a ring « bague » (left) and « anneau » (right) « Bague » is a feminine word « Anneau » is a masculine word
lors des CIRCUITS BIJOUX à Paris, les bijoux de Christophe Burger seront visible dans deux expositions :
« Dans la ligne de mire » – Musée des Arts Deco, Paris – 19 Sept. 2013-2 Mars 2014
(EXPO ‘Dans la LIGNE DE MIRE’ – Musée des Arts Deco, Paris (FR) – 19 Sept. 2013-2 Mars 2014)et à
‘CORPUS 7, Rétro-Projective‘ – Bibliothèque des arts décoratifs, Paris (FR) – 19 Sept.-24 Dec. 2013
