The Smoken Ridge

Alan Fertil

18 Feb — 14 May 2022

The exhibition ‘The Smoken Ridge’ is a chance to look again at the graphic work of Alan Fertil (1982, Quimper - 2015, Brussels). A graduate of the Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts (National School of Fine Arts) in Paris, he spent his childhood and student days in Brittany, the United States and England. At the end of his course, he settled in Berlin then in Brussels in 2009 where he co-founded the collective known as ‘The Ister’, an association bringing together artists, exhibition curators and people working in art, with the aim of promoting young creativity. At that time Alan Fertil was known for his joint work with Damien Teixidor, focussed on street furniture, skateboard culture and D-I-Y. The pair exhibited in France at MAMO – Centre d’Art de la Cité Radieuse in Marseille, the 40mcube art centre in Rennes and in Brussels at MAAC, Maison d’Art Actuel des Chartreux. At the same time Alan Fertil was developing drawing which has never really been exhibited and is largely unknown. This part of his work was the subject of a book entitled ‘Alan Fertil, Drawings, Sketches and Notes’, recently published by Zéro2 with the support of the Antoine de Galbert Foundation, 40mcube and Passerelle.

Alan Fertil’s constant travelling between English- and French-speaking countries and his taste for literature permeate his works in which he includes many texts and words, including poetry, slogans and reflections. His works are in turn methodical and sketchy, showing the construction of the space surrounding us as well as an evolving chaos. His drawings are marked by a use of charcoal and graphite, giving them a dark and obscure depth. We are present at the construction of a unique universe,... [lire plus]

Avec le soutien de la Fondation Antoine de Galbert, de 40mcube Centre d’art contemporain, Rennes et de la famille et des amis d’Alan Fertil.