[JEANSELLEM VIEWER] — FRANÇOISE SULLIVAN CORRIDART DANS LA RUE SHERBROOKE 28.09-06.10.1976 — Categories: letters, docs, press — Keywords: Galerie S:t Petri, Jean Sellem, archive — Category: letters — A3 Envelope — — — Category: letters — 4127 Wilson Ave.Montreal, Quebec10 March 1976Mr Jean SellemGalerie S:t Petri, Archive of Experimental and Marginal ArtFack 7, 221 01 Lund, SwedenDear Mr Sellem,I am finally in a position to ask you when you might be willing to present my work at your gallery. I hope to travel to Europe towards the end of the summer. If mid-September were available, would that suit you, or would you prefer another time? Please also let me know when you would like to receive documentation on my work.René Blouin tells me that he will probably be travelling to Sweden around that time and says that it would be pleasant to meet there on that occasion.While awaiting your reply, I send you my cordial greetings.Françoise Sullivan — — — Category: docs — Dear Jean Sellem,I was pleased to receive your letter and to learn that it would be possible for me to exhibit at your gallery in September.On 7 July, I completed a major work commissioned by COJO for the Olympic Games. It had scarcely been installed along the street when my work, together with that of the other participants, was razed by city employees, acting under the orders of the Executive Committee, during the night of 13 to 14 July. This act of repression seems to me such a violation of the human right to freedom of expression that I am drawn to this theme for an exhibition at your gallery.However, as I must leave for Italy in a few days, I wonder whether I will manage to focus my efforts on it in time. If not, I shall bring works that have already been prepared, which in this case would include two series of about a dozen photographs each, a video, and a performance on the opening day. For the performance, however, — three tape recorders would be required. The text, which is spoken in French, would be translated and the sheets distributed; this is what I did during presentations in London, Toronto, and Kingston last February. The nature of the theme lends itself to this, being simple, repetitive, and hallucinatory.I am leaving for Italy on 2 August and will remain there until 7 October. You may write to me at the following address:Via di Pernano 32San Martino in CecioneGreve in ChiantiProv. FirenzeI would also be pleased to meet you in Venice if you are there once I am already in Italy, and I hope to hear from you there as soon as possible.Sincerely,Françoise Sullivan — — — Category: letters — Greve in Chianti, 10 September 1976Dear Jean Sellem,Please forgive me for replying so late. I was travelling and did not return until last night. Thank you for the details concerning the exhibition; I am delighted to be able to attend. As I indicated in my telegram, I believe I shall arrive on the morning of the 26th. From here, it seems easier to take a train from Florence than to fly, since that would involve so many connections. The journey will be long, however; I shall have to leave on the 24th at around 7 p.m.For this event, I am bringing three series of photographs. The first marked a time of pause and reflection in the course of my artistic practice. It consists of about ten photographs of a walk through the snow among the — oil refineries, accompanied by a text arising from this reflection at the moment of that upheaval.Twelve other photographs followed later, but are softened by an element of play within the reflection.The third series relates to the work created for “Corridart”, an event organised by COJO for the duration of the Olympic Games and destroyed, immediately after it was presented, by the Executive Committee and the mayor of Montreal, in the course of a single night. It consists of several photographs of artists and poets, each accompanied by a sentence. The whole bears the seal of censorship, while several newspaper clippings recounting the “incident” can also be seen, together with a photograph of the mayor being acclaimed by the crowd.This approach, if I may explain it in this way, — lies in the artist’s stripping away of all that is superfluous. The photograph is like the residue of an action, of a creation seeking to burst forth.Biographical text — Born in Montreal1949 — Participates in the “Automatistes” movement and is a signatory to the “Refus Global” manifesto.Teaches modern dance; numerous choreographies for stage productions and television.Has devoted herself to sculpture since 1959 and participates in numerous exhibitions throughout Canada. Several solo exhibitions. In Europe, exhibits at the Salon de la jeune Sculpture at the Musée Rodin in Paris in 1968 and at the Museum of Modern Art in Milan; at the Middleheim Biennale in Antwerp in 1974. In 1974, at the Galerie des Locataires in New York; in 1975, Camera Art in Paris; — — — Category: letters — LandskronaHello,I forgot to give you the text last night in the rush to leave.Once again, thank you and Marie.Goodbye,Françoise — LandskronaHello,I forgot to give you the text last night in the rush to leave.Once again, thank you and Marie.Goodbye,Françoise — LandskronaHello,I forgot to give you the text last night in the rush to leave.Once again, thank you and Marie.Goodbye,Françoise — — — Category: letters — Greve in Chianti, 2 October 1976Dear Jean and Marie,Just a short note to thank you and to say that I am pleased with the exhibition. I am now busy preparing for my return to Canada, and I realise that, in the rush to leave, I forgot a skirt at your place because it was hanging on a clothes hanger in the hall. Marie, it would be very kind of you to send it to me by air mail in Montreal and to charge the cost to my account.I hope that we shall work together again, and I shall keep you informed about my projects for Véhicule.In the meantime, my very warm regards to you both.Françoise — — — Category: letters — — — Category: letters — October 29, 1976Dear Françoise,Thank you for a very nice exhibition which was very well visited by many interested people. I hope that you were pleased too to have the show here in the gallery. I sent back the display material in the beginning of this week by airmail. I hope you have received it by now without any complications. Last week I also sent away your skirt by airmail. So by now you should have everything back again.Just after you went to Italy, we had new Canadian visitors — this time they were six and they knew very well about you. They made some very interesting performances during three days and then went on to England, Germany, Italy and Belgium.Unfortunately there is no possibility for us to print your book here. The printer with whom we are working is really like an artist — he works when he feels like it. So he is not in the mood of doing anything just now. And as it is no use printing something a — long time after your show — it loses in actuality — I think it is much better for you to have the booklet edited by Véhicule. I am sorry for this but we have experiences with this printer since some years. He is very good and very cheap but now and then he does not feel like doing something. That does not please him. It is just to accept.Jean is just now in France meeting artists and looking at exhibitions. He has also been at the art fair in Düsseldorf. Just now there is an exhibition at the gallery but on November 5 a show with Joan Mathews will begin. And so it continues again.Dear Françoise, I hope you will keep in contact. Please always inform us about your future activities. The material you send is carefully kept in the archive for use in the future.Warmest regards,Marie — — — Category: docs — — — Category: docs — — — Category: docs — — — Category: docs — — — Category: docs — — — Category: docs — — — Category: press — Scandinavian Premiere Exhibition for a Canadian Artist in LundLUND. Françoise Sullivan, from Montreal, Canada, is currently exhibiting at Galerie S:t Petri in Lund. This is the first time she has shown her work in Scandinavia. She has previously exhibited in Canada, South America, Belgium, Italy, and France.The exhibition in Lund is entitled “Artists’ Legends” and consists of three parts.In the first section, ten small photographs show the artist walking through an area of Montreal filled with oil refineries.The text accompanying the photographs reflects her somewhat disillusioned thoughts on art today.On another walk, she has chosen the Greek god Apollo as her companion. This makes the unpleasantness of the surroundings less conspicuous. For her, Apollo represents beauty and strength.THE OLYMPIC GAMESThe third section contains parts of a larger body of material produced for a special event in the summer of 1976. At that time, the cultural department of the Olympic Games invited some eighty artists to decorate Sherbrooke Street, Montreal’s main thoroughfare.The city’s mayor, however, considered the works of art unsatisfactory and, one night, simply ordered a large group of men to remove all the images with the aid of bulldozers.Françoise Sullivan’s contribution was entitled “Artists’ Legends” and consisted of photographs, articles, and other material concerning several important artists and writers who had lived on Sherbrooke Street at different times. An excerpt from this extensive document is shown in the third section of the exhibition in Lund. — — — Category: press — Legends at an Art ExhibitionFrançoise Sullivan tells of artists’ legends.LUND. Françoise Sullivan, from Canada, has recently arrived in Lund. Here she is presenting an exhibition at Galerie S:t Petri entitled “Artists’ Legends.” It runs from 28 September to 6 October.The exhibition consists of three parts. Françoise Sullivan uses photography as a means of expression.In the first section, ten small photographs show the artist walking through an area of Montreal, Canada, filled with oil refineries.On another walk, she has taken the Greek god Apollo with her. This makes the unpleasantness of the surroundings less conspicuous. For her, Apollo represents beauty and strength.The third section of the exhibition contains parts of a larger body of material produced last summer. At that time, the cultural department of the Olympic Games invited some eighty artists to decorate Montreal’s main thoroughfare.The city’s mayor, however, considered the works of art unsatisfactory, and the city’s inhabitants were able to view them for only one week.Françoise Sullivan’s contribution was entitled “Artists’ Legends” and consisted of photographs, articles, and other material relating to several artists and writers who had lived in Montreal. An excerpt from this document is being shown in the exhibition at Galerie S:t Petri.The artist will be present on the opening day. She has not previously shown her work in Scandinavia, but has exhibited in France, Italy, Belgium, South America, and Canada.The exhibition is open on weekdays from 3 to 8 p.m., and on Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 5 p.m. — — — Category: press — “Legends” at S:t PetriFrançoise Sullivan, from Montreal, Canada, is visiting Europe and has recently arrived in Lund, where she is presenting an exhibition at Galerie S:t Petri entitled “Artists’ Legends.”The exhibition runs from 28 September to 6 October and consists of three parts, the first two of which were created as a reaction to her first personal encounter with the classical cultural heritage. The third section contains elements from a larger body of work produced for a special event in the summer of 1976. It is this third section that is being shown at Galerie S:t Petri.Françoise Sullivan has not previously exhibited her work in Scandinavia, but she has exhibited in France, Italy, Belgium, South America, and Canada.