Jakob Gautel

Catalogue

Jakob Gautel — 2026-03-22T08:18:17Z

The exhibition catalogue is in the making and will be released in summer 2026.
With a text by Leonor Nuridsany, an introduction by the mayor Philippe Bouyssou and a conclusion by Hedi Saidi, director of the gallery. The graphic design is by Delphine Rocher, Zaoum.

Socles peu commun - Uncommon Bases
Pre-layout of the catalogue of the exhibition at Galerie Fernand Léger, Ivry-sur-Seine, in 2025.

Facing the Sea

Jakob Gautel — 2025-08-15T07:02:42Z

Under the blazing sun in Greece, in a heat resistant and fireproof aluminised suit, thinking of Caspar David Friedrich, August 2025. A dystopian version of The Monk by the Sea.

Facing the Sea

Greece, August 2025, photo: Jason Karaïndros

Epilogues

Jakob Gautel — 2025-07-22T05:56:00Z

Return to Sender
End of the exhibition, return of the works, Paris, July 2025 — the final “turn of events”!

Return to Sender, Paris, July 2025

At the Comédie Française for the final performance of Tiago Rodrigues' play Hécube pas Hécube on July 21, 2025, moving encounters with Molière and Voltaire!

Hécube, pas Hécube, Tiago Rodrigues, Comédie Française, Paris 2025 — on stage, a veiled sculpture on its pedestal

Molière's armchair at the Comédie Française

Voltaire in his armchair on his pedestal at the Comédie Française

Europeana
Patrik Ourednik's breathless, depressing, and exhilarating journey through 20^th-century history, discovered through Heiner Goebbel's play Everything That Happened and Would Happen.
The book finishes with the End of History: “…a new age in human history, but it would no longer be historical. But lots of people did not know the theory and continued to make history as if nothing had happened.”

Europeana, Patrik Ourednik, 2001

One last glance…

Petit Palais, Paris, September 2025

Bernard Tranchandon has come up with an astonishing postscript. In André Franquin's comic strip Spirou and Fantasio, in the 1956 volume The Dictator and the Mushroom, a magical substance softens metal. Here's what happens on page 8:

Spirou and Fantasio, The Dictator and the Mushroom, André Franquin, 1956

Mediation

Jakob Gautel — 2025-06-22T04:04:30Z

Visits and workshops led by Mathilde, Marius and the team of Galerie Fernand Léger, April-June 2025

With Mathilde, May 2025, photos: JG

With Marius, April and May 2025, photos: Mathilde Ardaillon

La médiation à Léger
Presentation of the mediation activities, Galerie Fernand Léger, Ivry-sur-Seine, June 20 to July 5, 2025. The exhibition runs in parallel with Glaner - Gleaning, which features work by students from the municipal art school.

La médiation à Léger, exhibition, June-July 2025

Photo: Jean-Michel Albert

Photo Studio

Jakob Gautel — 2025-06-08T07:02:12Z

April-June 2025, in the “photo studio” of the exhibition, with our special guest Lara Croft and on the pedestal

The Dream Team Carole, Malika, Lara and Claire, April 5, 2025

Jakob and Lara, June 7, 2025, photo: Robert Milin

Brigitte and Lara, May 24, 2025, photos: Jason Karaïndros

April 5, 2025, photo: Marie-Pierre Dieterlé

Martine as Joan of Arc, April 8, 2025

Shellfish Gathering, Bettina, April 26, 2025

On a Boat, Winda, May 20, 2025

Making Of, in the photo studio with Mathilde, May 7, 2025

Some of the youngsters' interpretations, May 2025

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Photo session with the architecture students of ENSAPLV, May 21, 2025

To be or not to be, Clovis, June 7, 2025

The Welder, Gilles, June 7, 2025

The Donkey, Marie, June 7, 2025

Tribute to the Pedestal, Gaël by the sea, May 29, 2025, photo: Émilie Malinas

Encounters

Jakob Gautel — 2025-06-02T09:48:00Z

Artist talk with Leonor Nuridsany, exhibition curator and art critic, author of the catalogue text, May 17, 2025.

Artist talk with Leonor Nuridsany, Mai 17, 2025, photo: Mathias Gautel

Screenshots of the video recording

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Encounter with Jean-François Rodier and members of APAI (Association for the Protection of Ivry Bees), on Saturday, May 24 at 3 pm, on the occasion of World Bee Day.

Beekeeper, Pieter Brueghel the Elder, 1568

Meeting with Jean-François Rodier and members of APAI, May 24, 2025, photo: Jason Karaïndros

The Right to Rest

Jakob Gautel — 2025-05-05T19:15:32Z

Performance on Workers' Day, May 1^st, 2025, starting at 2.30 pm at the Place de l'Insurrection d'Août 1944. Action dedicated to Pina Bausch.
In the protective aluminium gear of a modern-day metal worker, carrying the armchair called in French “fauteuil Voltaire”, during a three-hour walk, with a few breaks, in summer temperatures, through the town of Ivry to Place Voltaire, in the Renaudie-Gailhoustet complex next to Galerie Fernand Léger, I pay tribute to the Right to Rest.

Homage to the Right to Rest, performance, 1^st of May 2025, photo: Marius Amoretti

Photos: Ha Cha Youn

Photo: Misato Naoi

Photo: Mirela Popa

Some key moments of the tour, photos: Jason Karaïndros

The itinerary, photos: Jason Karaïndros

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In front of the townhall with Misato Naoi, Jason Karaïndros and Ha Cha Youn, photo: Mirela Popa

Bearing Balls

Jakob Gautel — 2025-05-05T19:15:27Z

Performance, first created on April 5, 2025, in memory of the SKF ball bearing factory in Ivry.
During the 1985 uprisings, the steel balls were used as projectiles.
The Galerie Fernand Léger is housed in a former cinema, the floor is sloping.
Using the large gallery broom, I try to carefully, very slowly, push a hundred or so bearing balls up the slope, then let them go. The balls roll down the slope, hitting the stage and the back wall with a loud crash. One visitor spontaneously comments: “It's a revolution!”

Bearing balls in the office furniture factory Stoll, Waldshut, Germany, around 1931-33, photo: Hermann (Sven) Gautel

Worker with a very tall ball bearing, SKF catalogue from the 1920s, Municipal Archives of Ivry-sur-Seine

Bearing Balls, performance at the opening, on April 5, 2025, photo: Jason Karaïndros

Bearing Balls, photos of the different performances: Marius Amoretti, Mathilde Ardaillon, Livia Gautel, Mathias Gautel, Jérôme Glicenstein, Ha Cha Youn, Jason Karaïndros, Tania Ruiz, Yves Sabourin, Josiane Scoleri, Liliane Terrier, Bernard Tranchandon…

April 5, 2025, photos: Jason Karaïndros

Photo: Tania Ruiz

Photo: Jérôme Glicenstein

Photo: Liliane Terrier

Performance, April 19, 2025, photos: Yves Sabourin

Photos: Marius Amoretti

Performance, April 22, 2025, photo: Ha Cha Youn

On April 22, 2025, a single bearing ball miraculously remained at the top of the slope.

Mai 3, 2025, photos: Mathilde Ardaillon

Mai 14, 2025, photo: Mathilde Ardaillon

Mai 17, 2025, photos: Mathias Gautel

Mai 24, 2025, photos: Livia Gautel

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Bearing Balls, video recording of the performance, April 5, 2025: Despina Kontargyris

"Les Billes" / "Bearing Balls", performance, Jakob Gautel, 5/4/2025
by Jakob Gautel

Exhibition

Jakob Gautel — 2025-05-04T19:15:00Z

The iconic Étoiles d'Ivry complex, designed by architects Renée Gailhoustet and Jean Renaudie, 1969-1975. From above, you can clearly see that all the terraces are planted. On the ground floor, just under the bridge, is the Galerie Fernand Léger, the contemporary art gallery of Ivry-sur-Seine.

Étoiles d'Ivry, photo: Robert Doisneau/Gamma-Rapho 1984

Long Live the Strike, Ivry, May 1^st, 2025, photo: Jason Karaïndros

Exhibition views
An overview in a few images

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The Weighing of Souls, April 2025, with the sculpture of a metal worker and ammunition lent by Jean-Philippe Stoll

The Thinker on the pedestal/seat Tribute to Work, facing the slide show, at the opening on April 5, 2025, photo: Jason Karaïndros

Flower Power : Make Love Not War, Lara Croft, loan by Stephane Da Fonseca, Déméval enterprise, Ivry

Pedestal = sculpture

Pedestal = seat

Red plinth against a green background, Ivry, April 2025

Acknowlegments

The artist would like to warmly thank all the people and institutions without whom this project could not have moved forward and this exhibition would never have seen the light of day:

The City of Ivry-sur-Seine
The Galerie Fernand Léger team, the contemporary art gallery of Ivry-sur-Seine, support throughout this project
The Archives and Heritage Department of Ivry-sur-Seine, for their invaluable assistance
The COARC for their warm welcome
The two exhibition fitters, Édouard Sautai and Antoine Raulin, for their efficiency and sensitivity
All participants in the different proposals
The artists of TAP#3
The participants of the Art in Context workshop, Académie de Créteil, November 2023
Philippe Jaeglé and Charles Piquion for their passionate interpretation of Voltaire and the worker
Mirela Popa for her well-deserved gold medal, and Cécile Rusterholtz for her complicity
Jean-François Rodier and the APAI (Association for the Protection of Ivry Bees) for their warm welcome, for sharing their expertise, and for the educational beehive
Stephane Da Fonseca, Déméval company, for our guest of honour, Miss Lara Croft
Jean-Philippe Stoll for the ammunition and crates
CPS, Paris, for the resurrection of the Voltaire armchair
Ha Cha Youn and Misato Naoi for their company on May 1^st, 2025
Leonor Nuridsany for our exchange and the beautiful text in the catalogue
Jason Karaindros for everything
And all friends from near and far, thank you!

“No man is an island."

Preparation

Jakob Gautel — 2025-03-13T05:23:00Z

Arrival at the gallery, Ivry, March 2025

Dematerialized base, February 2025, 3D: Jean-Michel Albert

An old, handmade doll's pram, found in February 2025 — with Sergei Eisenstein in mind.

The children of Ivry, March 2025, after a photo of 1909, Municipal Archive of Ivry-sur-Seine

Preliminary model with sugar cubes, scale 1/120, March 2025

Getting ready…

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