art de faire, crafting the everyday
“ Le quotidien est parsemé de merveilles, écume aussi éblouissante (…) que celle des écrivains ou des artistes. Sans nom propre, toutes sortes de langages donnent lieu à ces fêtes éphémères qui surgissent, disparaissent et reprennent ». Michel de Certeau, La Culture au pluriel, 1974.
This page brings together installations that Françoise Dupré made early in her practice. These artworks remain highly relevant to her ongoing preoccupation with the transformativity of art making – creativity as a performative and becoming action.
Inspired by Michel de Certeau concept of art of making in the everyday, the installations have for origin everyday objects. They are made of washing up gloves, scouring pads, bottle tops, children socks. The objects have been simply manipulated, yet the transformation is uncomplete, function and familiarity remaining recognisable.
The installations explore specific issues such as domesticity, motherhood (Brooder, Venus, ephemeras) or unbelonging and hybridity (naturalisation, fruits étrangers).
The tension between the real and the poetic has remained an ongoing preoccupation for the artist. Another source of inspiration is her father’s inventiveness, with the making of bird shelters and other poetic DIY gestures.
naturalisation is an ephemeral site-specific installation created with tips of rubber gloves and pins.
It was installed for group exhibitions: Hats & Gloves, 2004-2005, Leicester City Gallery and UK touring; The Garden of Earthly Delights, 2004, Brockwell Park, London (installation sponsored by Spontex); Sculpture by the Sea, 2001, Sydney, international outdoor sculpture exhibition (installation sponsored by Ansell)
Optical Maps, 2013. Hanging installation. Photo © FXP Photography, London. Optical lens, bell wire. 1m H x 0m55 W x 0m20 D.
Brooder was first developed in 1999 The installation consists of five dozen fresh eggs, hooks, heels of baby socks.
2m25 H X 3m50 W X 0m60 D.
Brooder was installed for group exhibitions: States of Being: Constructing identities, 2012, 198 Contemporary Arts and Learning, London; (dis)comfort, 2005, Angel Row Gallery, Nottingham and Material Spaces, 2003 Tullie House Art Gallery and Museum, Carlisle, UK
Photo © Françoise Dupré
Photo © Françoise Dupré
Venus consists of 100 knitted sculptures made with Children socks and wadding.
2m H x 4m20W x 0m20 D.
Venus was installed for group exhibition Mailles, 2011, La Maison du Danemark, Paris. The installation was also part of the artist solo exhibitions autre mers (other seas), 2011, Women’s Library, London; Les merveilles de Françoise Dupré, 2002, Can’Art galerie, Toulouse.
Photo © FXP Photography, London
Fruits étrangers began in 2009 and grew to become part of the artist solo exhibition autre mers (other seas) at the Women’s Library gallery, London Metropolitan University.
the installation was made of plastic bottle tops, recycled metal rings from lamp shades, curtain wire, hooks, waxed twine, white plastic-coated galvanised wire, cable ties and clothes airers.
6m H x 4m W 5m D.
Photo © FXP Photography, London
Rings, 2009. Hanging installation. Photo © FXP Photography, London Plastic bottle top rings, whipping twine, bag plastic handle. 1m x 0m20 W x 0m16 D.
Photo © FXP Photography, London
Éphemeras was installed for the artist solo exhibition at the Conductors’ Hallway Gallery, London.
It consisted of thousands of multicoloured scouring pads, rubber bands and nails.
3m50 H x 24m W x 0m05 D.
Photo © FXP Photography, London
La grande cour, Buthiers, Île-de-France. Bird shelters and other bricolage by Jacques Dupré, circa 1995. Photo © Françoise Dupré
Françoise Dupré 