Human Resources

What does it even mean to work today? Achieving social status, keeping busy every day, having a source of income, or perhaps feeling useful? Discover an intersectional group exhibition that puts “invisible” workers in the spotlight: from house cleaners to interns, to artists and cultural actors! The guest curator Virginie Jourdain presents an original interpretation of the working environment from a committed activist and feminist point of view. Let’s take a fresh look at the different types of labor, whether domestic, artistic, or breadwinning, and their social and moral significance. The exhibition Human Resources addresses the specificities of artists’ work from the point of view of artists themselves. There is no hierarchy among the works or contributions, whether issued from collaborative, horizontal, or solidarity-based practices or inspired by feminist activism and struggle.The projects of guest artists help to blend the question of work and artistic labor with essential reflections on well-being, strategies of survival, ethical modes of production, and inclusive perspectives conducive to rethinking labor.

This bold presentation is accompanied by head-spinning performances, empowerment workshops, and direct debates… Let’s share our professional experiences and take advantage of tools and activities that nourish our bodies and open our minds!

Curator: Virginie Jourdain (1980, FR)
Artists: Ghada Amer, Béatrice Cussol, Décider entre hommes, Karl Holmqvist, Olga Kisseleva, Kapwani Kiwanga, Catherine Lescarbeau, Noémi McComber, Anne-Marie Proulx, Joshua Schwebel, Jo Spence, Pilvi Takala, Mierle Ukeles, Martine Viale

Program of events
Art/Action Lab
Saturday, June 24
Body performance by Martine Viale, artist; introduction: Virginie Jourdain

Performance
Saturday, September 16
One by Hervé Birolini (installation, composition, and performance) Aurore Gruel (dance and music) Olivier Irthum (lights)

Meeting-Screening
Saturday, September 23
Cleaning crew: on strike at Bibliothèque Nationale de France – Section SUD Culture; General Confederation of Labor – Prestigious and Economic Hotels (CGT – HPE)
Moderator: Fanny Zanferrari, sociologist

Lecture
Thursday, October 5
Emotional labor by Anna Safuta, sociologist; moderator: Fanny Zanferrari, sociologist

Workshops
Saturday, October 7
Conflicts, bodies, emotions, in cooperation with IEDRS – Institut Européen pour le Développement des Relations Sociales & Catherine Collin-Penazzi, sophrologist

Workshop
Saturday, October 21
At the intersection: labor, sexism, & racism with Marie Dasylva, founder of the NKALI agency; Khadija Fadel, chief legal officer for the Grand-Est region at the ADDH; Laura Nsafou, Afrofeminist writer and blogger

Performance
Saturday, November 4 
Composition for 15 alarm clocks by Les Trotteuses, alarm-clock players (as part of FRAC weekends #2.)

More information available on our website.


Human resources is part of the group summer project Le travail à l’oeuvre [Labor at work] carried out by the three FRAC of the Grand Est region. They join forces around a shared exhibition theme: work in all shapes and sizes! In Reims, FRAC Champagne Ardenne opens the cycle Le travail à l’oeuvre with a group exhibition entitled The Alternative, or how to work differently. Next, 49 Nord 6 Est – FRAC Lorraine in Metz will address the social, moral, and invisible dimensions of work in a group exhibition entitled Human Resources and take the reflection to the very heart of the art milieu. FRAC Alsace in Sélestat, in turn, features an in-situ installation by the artist Michael Beutler which combines the process of creation and productive technical skill.

Frac Champagne-Ardenne
May 19–September 17, 2017
L’alternative
Opening: May 18, 2017, 6pm
www.frac-champagneardenne.org

Frac Alsace
July 1–November 5, 2017
Michael Beutler, Pipeline Field
Opening: June 30, 2017, 7pm
www.frac.culture-alsace.org

The 49 Nord 6 Est - Frac Lorraine is supported by the Region Grand Est and the DRAC Grand Est at the Ministry of Culture and Communication.