Recycling is an idea that has been around for several years. It has become a norm in our everyday life as much as in our community decisions and in our industrial processes. How then can it be expanded to the field of ideas? It is accepted in relation to materials and natural resources, but can it also be considered for art?

by Nicolas Marailhac

To inspire ourselves, we focused on the work of artists who use material at the end of its life cycle, such as the photographs reused by Valentine Fournier and Roger Kockaerts and in the case of Restes by Lynda Ait Amer, and also she who would consider the ultimate material – her own body – as a recyclable product in the case of Lina Saneh. Thus, they question our relation to what we create and leave, and in particular to remains forgotten yet still full of our marks and stories. Moreover, on this base sometimes original creative works are built, as shown in an essay on international collaborative works. Or, through concern about a reconsideration of our sources as David Nash will deal with it. On the other hand, it will be due to opposite aims that advertising lives on recycling strong or relevant ideas.

We will thus discover the limits which the concept of reappropriation of ideas can reach, which are all the more permeable as they go beyond creation and art and approach commerce.

When we started thinking about this theme, we understood the necessity of reappropriation of others’ creations for any new creation. Some creators even build all their work on such a theme. It is interesting to note, however, how this way of creating can be difficult when dealing with images, while it is so common or even encouraged for music; with pictures it gets closer to copying and plagiarism. How then is it possible to create new forms in our world where it is very difficult not to be influenced by the amount of pictures surrounding and compelling us?

We share with you some of our reflections and invite you to discover some nice finds in our other sections. Among these, the chef, as in a restaurant, recommends the presentation of the first and courageous participation of Lebanon at the Venice Biennale; a review of a new monography on Francesca Woodman offering a more reflective approach to her journey; and a review of an exhibition dedicated to the designer Joe Colombo, in which our conception of consumption is evoked, getting us back to recycling and sustainable works…

I wish you a nice journey through this summer issue before our next one, whose theme will be “the game,” coming up for autumn!
 

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Launching of EDIT: #5 at Café Titon on June 28th 2007 from 7pm.

Café Titon
34 rue Titon
75011 Paris
www.cafetiton.com