Creator:

Roland Sabatier

Bibliographical sources:

Roland Sabatier « Œuvres pour chiens » : Documents autour de l’exposition, Les Echos du Durable, n°13, 1992. Roland Sabatier : Le droit de parler aux chiens, Le Patriote Côte d'Azur, n° 1254, 1991 Œuvres pour chiens de Roland Sabatier, par Virginie Parriaux, Le Standard n°144, 1991 Roland Sabatier, par Jacques Lepage, Arthèmes, octobre, novembre 1991. Roland Sabatier « Œuvres pour chiens », par Frédéric Altmann, Nice Matin, 13 octobre 1991 La méca-esthétique lettriste (p.60), Editions AVC et Ecritures, Paris 1999

Producer:

Roland Sabatier

Theoretical background:

Pyramids of dog food cans, beef bones, video in which the actor is a basset hound, clay in which to leave one’s paw prints (super temporal “canine sculpture”), comic strips featuring a poodle and a German shepherd, various types of kibble, showing of An Andalusian Dog… Dogs were honored on Wednesday, September 25 at the Galerie Artcade, place Garibaldi, in Nice. A gag? Neodadaism? Roland Sabatier, whose lettrist canvases were hung 40 cm from the floor, explained himself in a caustic and humorous speech. After affirming his flat refusal to be taken back to the pre-Ptolemaic era by the charlatans, he claimed the right to speak to the dogs. First, he says, because of the possibility offered by Isidore Isou to choose any medium (and why not the dog?), and next, because of the situation of artists frustrated by sincere collectors and more and more often delivered up to ignorant investors. “I dare hope that you will treat me at least as well as your favorite dog,” he concluded mischievously, while on the carpet our animal friends polished off some gigantic bones.

A cry of revolt, then, from an artist concerned about the future of art in a society plagued by money and crooks of all breeds. With Roland Sabatier, we owe thanks to the Galerie Artcade (Combas, Fluxus, l’Arte Povera) for having lent itself to this demonstration that has certainly been disturbing, but by its rejection of the prevailing conformism and its relevance, it has constituted a veritable bowl of fresh air. More art, less moolah? A bone to chew on.

In Le Patriote Côte d’Azur, no. 1254 (October 4-10, 1991).

Occurence:

Places:

Galerie Artcade

Starting date:

09 25 1991

1991/11/2

Topology:

gallery

Background:

Opening of the private show Œuvres pour chiens in Nice, September 25-November 2, 1991, for the third Festival international d’art infinitésimal et sup.

Adress:

2 place Garibaldi

Nice

France

Objets:

éléments de l'environnement

Technique description référence:

Roland Sabatier | trace de la performance "Œuvres pour chiens", 1991 | © Roland Sabatier - ADAGP, Paris 2012 | courtesy de l'artiste

Documents:

Extrait d'un ensemble de planches de bande dessinée présentant un dialogue entre deux chiens à propos de l'exposition de Roland Sabatier et de ses enjeux

Type:

Imprimé

Technique description référence:

Extrait d'un ensemble de planches de bande dessinée présentant un dialogue entre deux chiens à propos de l'exposition de Roland Sabatier et de ses enjeux

SABATI

carton d'invitation/tract

Type:

Imprimé

Technique description référence:

carton d'invitation/tract

SABATI

Arthèmes, octobre - novembre 1991

Type:

Presse

Technique description référence:

Arthèmes, octobre - novembre 1991

SABATI

Le droit de parler aux chiens

Type:

Presse

Technique description référence:

Le Patriote Côte d'Azur, 4 au 10 octobre 1991

SABATI

Roland Sabatier "Œuvres pour chiens"

Type:

Presse

Technique description référence:

Nice Matin, dimanche 13 octobre 1991

SABATI

Œuvres pour chiens de Roland Sabatier

Type:

Presse

Technique description référence:

Le Standard, 20 septembre 1991, n° 144

SABATI

Description:

“Long live the art of canine creators,” proclaims a dog in the comic strip produced by Roland Sabatier to ensure that the opening of Œuvres pour chiens was well attended. Dogs and non-dogs hurried to see it: it was a crowd of dogs and dog masters/mistresses, the humans performing their masterly duties to a tee with the beef or milk bones lying on the floor. Everything was dog; some of the visitors may have been unsettled by the collars and leashes hung from the molding with labels for: critics at Art Press, expert in modern art, minister of Culture and Communication, museum curator, art professor… One can misjudge, even though the weather wasn’t for the dogs, a fact of which Sabatier took advantage for a highly successful opening: mounted on a dog crate, he towered over quadrupeds and bipeds for a lecture on caninely produced art confirmed on a TV screen where dog and cat frolicked about, refuting the slander spread by hominids regarding relations between Fido and Felix. Nothing was overlooked for the pleasure of all, a fairly important provision by Loyal to lend an ear to the famished and combat the pedagogical drowsiness written on the walls. Wine as well, to properly receive An Andalusian Dog where Buñuel never imagined finding it. We may be allowed to conclude, having narrowly avoided chain and collar generously provided for our use, that it was an amazing evening for the canine aesthetic. We expect from Sabatier—lettrism demands it—new versions of this anthropocaninery. The horse seems to indicate: is it not, along with the dog, man’s best friend? Or why not the mouse? Its ubiquitous use in technology should favor it for a new takeoff in electronic lettrism.

In Arthèmes, Oct-Nov, 1991

Jacques Lepage