when context becomes content portfolio Ciel Grommen June 2015
Ciel Grommen (1989) studied architecture at the University of Leuven in Belgium and currently continues her practice within the context of contemporary art in Switzerland, Geneva. Her work questions urbanism and governance in the age of post-globalism. Different spaces of exception were central in most recent projects. Her methodology is pragmatic: physical and everyday experiences are mirrored with political and philosophical theories by inhabiting and cohabiting a context.
In 2011 I had got the opportunity to travel to a Palestinian Refugee Camp in Jordan for my master’s thesis in architecture. In 2014 I was still thinking about it. I started writing letters. The Palestinians answered by painting the camp’s walls.
Husn camp island A project, about identity and exile, about temporariness and permanence, about on the role of architecture and exchange programs ...
CONTENTS -----------------------------------Dear students, Dear master students in architecture, Dear students working in another cultural context
-----------------------------------Dear Alla’a and Razan, Dear UN workers, hosting interns from European universities ----------------------------------Dear Alla’a and Razan, Dear UN architects
-----------------------------------Dear Guido Geenen, Dear professors in architecture, Dear architects and urbanists working in a temporal context -----------------------------------Dear Professor Cassiman, Dear professors in anthropology, guiding students in architecture, Dear neo-colonial critics
I started writing letters Letters and footnotes in a micro-edition, May 2014
ABSTRACT ----------------------------------------------------------------What was our place as students and as outsiders? Was our fieldwork methodology good? Was our urban analysis and design an appropriate way to respond to this particular situation? What was the best format? Maybe we were too much involved in the community that we wanted to be servant and realistic? Maybe it was our character to be practical? Maybe the political opinions of our team were too different to formulate one vision? When thinking about the format, might it be better to also have your ultimate public in mind? ----------------------------------------------------------------But maybe this is just a way to bit myself? For you, this undertaking is maybe little more than a useful association with the university and the network this exchange is creating? Can you, after haven taken some distance, show us how we, as students, finally contributed most? And how can we still contribute more? ----------------------------------------------------------------However, I hope you can understand my concerns regarding the camp and allow me to ask whether or not something useful will be done for Husn camp? Is the proposed design practice suitable for UNRWA? Razan, how did you see UNRWA develop these years? Maybe you have already responded to the limitations I mentioned. Alla’a, do you dare criticize UNRWA more now that you gained a greater distance from it, or do you think this critique is unfair? ----------------------------------------------------------------Isn’t it this optimistic drive that characterizes the architectural approach? How would you estimate our work these days there?
----------------------------------------------------------------‘Maybe it was good the way it was? Maybe an analysis was enough?’ I think this articulation is part of the point that you wanted to make: is there really a problem that has to be solved? What right did we have to reflect about these camps and to impose a design? But still: did we believe ourselves to be able to formulate a good design? I could understand that we didn’t focus enough on the physical environment, but how can a research be ‘too’ sociological? When do neo-colonial critics consider us rightful claimant? When would you consider us rightful claimant? Who else has the right to design in this context and on this scale? Did the UNRWA architects, that were Palestinians but not living in the camp, know more? It would be interesting to find an architect in the camp itself, but is this person able to zoom out and include all kind of interests? Knowledge gives responsibility, doesn’t it? Is there something you can advise for us, architects that love to travel and want to have a meaningful contribution within other cultural contexts?
Performance, June 2014
----------------------------------------------Isn’t this a beautiful response to what we considered as necessary for the camp? Wasn’t there the principle of temporariness? So outsiders now were imposing Palestinians to uphold ‘their’ principles? Do we earn credits here? How do the camp residents react to the Colour up project? Are people’s needs always so clear? Are we creating needs here? Should I leave it behind me now? Every exchange is valuable ?
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The Palestinians answered by painting the camp’s walls Essay film, Screened in Cinema Bellevaux, 27th of June 2015.
In 2013 Markus Miessen composed a group of multi-disciplinary artists linked to the HEAD, University of the Arts and Design Geneva, to travel to the demiliterised zone between the two Koreas. We were invited by Artsonje Seoul to take part in their REAL-DMZ project: a platform that since 2011 invites national and international artists to reflect their experiences of the Korean DMZ. The introductory visit on the DMZ did raise very ambivalent feelings. But back in Geneva, this physical experience was unfortunately quickly far away. I decided therefore to concentrate on the aspects of the DMZ that were close to me: the international debate that is accessible on the Internet hold by international organizations that have their headquarters in Geneva. The works were exhibited in Artsonje Art Centre, Seoul in October 2014 and in LiveInYourHead Gallery Geneva in March 2015.
A Korean Peace Park Since 1953, the Korean Peninsula is divided into North and South by a particular border. This border takes the form of a 4 km wide strip across the peninsula and is called the ‘demilitarized zone’. Along both sides of the line, large numbers of troops are stationed to defend their nation against them that once have been their brothers, but are now part of a hostile-other system. Except for a few touristic incursions and patrolling soldiers, the area has been a deadly place for humans. This isolation along the 249 km length of the DMZ has created an involuntary nature reserve inhabited by several endangered animals and plant species. Unsurprisingly, this unique wildlife refuge is gaining interest from all over the world. Inspired by other border regions and encouraged by international nature organizations, the South Korean government started to elaborate a plan to turn the DMZ into a transnational park for peace. Only ... up to now, they couldn’t overcome North Korea’s rejection that the park would exploit ‘the pain of national division’. I took this controversial idea as a starting point for my research. I encountered the massive administrative body that lies behind this physical border region and that envisions its possible transformations.
Leaf-lets A4 paper on shelf 30 x 190 cm, September 2014. Leaf-lets presents a reflection, which literally started from found administrative documents: reports, recommendations, and speeches; a diversity in fonts, titles, organizations—but at the end all presented on the same A4-format — a lot of paper. By physically cutting these documents, it becomes impossible to consult their very content. Or is the content rather rising out of the paper? The traces left in the documents remind us of the negative of a herbarium: a DMZ herbarium. Plants — settled — in paper.
Map for a Korean Peace Park Chinese ink on wall 200 x 100 cm, September 2014, March 2015. With Map for a Korean Peace Park the artist proposes an alternative territory as a transnational National Park for peace and unification. It does not cover the DMZ, but the Baekdudaegan mountain range running down the entire length of the Korean Peninsula. The drawing style refers to the famous calligraphic of the Joseong dynasty, the last dynasty of the united Korean people with ruins of the former capital in the actual DMZ. Parallel lines collaborate into mountains, without ever closing. From afar, the map appears as a symbol, almost an identity, and a plea for a simple idea: something that can become, something that already is.
A refugee camp, a border zone ... states of exceptions keep me busy. But I like to work with a place that I can inhabit. A context, my context. Geneva, the art world ...
Before the Freeworld “Before the free world sits a gatekeeper. To this gatekeeper comes a woman from the nation who asks to gain entry into the free world. But the gatekeeper says that he cannot grant her entry at the moment. The woman thinks about it and then asks if she will be allowed to come in later on. “It is possible,” says the gatekeeper, “but not now.” At the moment the gate to the free world stands open, as always, and the gatekeeper walks to the side, so the woman bends over in order to see through the gate into the inside. When the gatekeeper notices that, he laughs and says: “If it tempts you so much, try it in spite of my prohibition. But take note: I am powerful. And I am only the most lowly gatekeeper. From room to room stand gatekeepers, each more powerful than the other. I can’t endure even one glimpse of the third.” The gatekeeper gives her a stool and allows her to sit down at the side in front of the gate. There she sits for days … and years. She makes many attempts to be let in, and she wears the gatekeeper out with her requests. The gatekeeper often interrogates her briefly, questioning her about her homeland and many other things, but they are indifferent questions, the kind great men put, and at the end he always tells her once more that he cannot let her inside yet.” (after Kafka, 1915) Before the Freeworld is a research project on freeports and more in particular on the freeports and warehouses of Geneva. A free port is a bonded zone under customs control to store goods in transit. The ‘free’ aspect of freeports refers to the suspension of customs duties and taxes until the moment the goods reach their final destination. Recently the freeports of Geneva have made media headlines since it is increasingly used as a permanent home for investment goods such as artworks.
The City of Geneva Map 3m x 2m. January 2015. An gigantic map covering the whole county of Geneva. Even road names are readable. Some areas are carefully cut out. One can recognize the area of the UN. The airport of Geneva too. A gigantic circle. A little dot in the railway station. Another square in Carouge...
Bonded Free Zone Sculpture activated by 4 performers, January 2015 The map of Geneva is mirrored by a fence structure in the form of a cross. Four assistants dressed in black walk towards the structure, close it and open it again in the form of a square. It looks like a sleight. If one looks again, it is possible to understand that no-one will ever be able to get into the square.
Fragment of Freeports and Warehouses, A Guided Tour Article, contribution to Vermeir&Heiremans’ InResidence Magazine on art and capitalism, May 2015.
... A good alibi to explore the site is the GenevArtSpace. Yellow makeshift panels in the form of a man pointing in the right direction will guide you to this little gallery space that is part of the freeport. You will have to cross parking lots, go up a concrete cargo deck, pass a workshop that produces wooden crates… Once, when I finally arrived at the place, two workmen were taking down a show. The room was a typical white cube, nothing exceptional. I asked if this show had been organised by the freeport. “No”, said the older man, “the freeport company is only managing the building. What happens inside is organised by the different tenants, art dealers, galleries. Naturel Le Coultre S.A. is the main tenant.” He then explained to me that the site has two zones, in French called a “zone sous douane” and a “zone hors douane”. The English section of the website translates: storing goods under “freeport status” and “Swiss status”. Under Swiss status they are subject to Swiss customs duties and taxes. When goods are stored under freeport status, they are in transit—the no-man’s-land the man was talking about. VAT and customs duty payments are postponed until the moment the goods reach their final destination. In the meanwhile tax-free and certificate-free transactions can take place on the inside of this zone. “The unique setup of the Swiss free ports allows you to store goods under customs control granting temporary postponement of VAT and customs duty payments with no time limit: CASH FLOW IS IMPROVED” informs the website. In which zone was this gallery situated then? “It can be both,” answered the workman. “At this moment, it is under Swiss status, since this door is open. If we close this door, and open the inner door, it is under freeport status. It is very practical. We can bring in paintings that are stored in the warehouse, organise a public exposition under Swiss status and sell it under freeport status.” I joked about the modest door lock, but he then pointed to the cameras that were installed at every door and that were apparently controlled by customs. I wanted to ask more about this highly fascinating flexibility of territorial status, but he told me that he was actually not allowed to talk about these kind of things, because the company had received “some bad press coverage for things that are not true. You will have to go to the office. There they will certainly give you more information.” He was wrong. The freeport secretary answered me that they could not address individuals without a reason. Only groups are welcomed in information sessions but I couldn’t join any of them. I was friendly redirected to the customs counter where they gave me the e-mail address of a press officer who never answered my mails. ...
Scenery for movie ‘Masquerade’ w/ Dieter Leyssen In collaboration with: A.I.R (Katleen Vermeir & Ronny Heirmans) Masquerade is a film about the ephemeral worlds of “high finance” and the “global art markets”. It is set in a fragmented environment that gradually evolves from a gallery white cube to an auction house, commodity exchange, trading pit, even a courtroom... (all places where values are negotiated and exchanged.) The transition between the spaces happens gradually. The spectator doesn’t notice the actual moment of transition, but gets all kinds of indications that some changes had taken place,
Freeport Residency and Observatory Container, june 2015 While residing in a container in the Swiss zone of the site with a view on the Freeport Residency and Observatory fiscal no-man’s Container, june land 2015under customs control, I invited people during the month of June to visit and discuss the contested place and its relation with the world of While residing in aart container the Swiss of the siteiswith a view onby the‘art fiscal no-man’s contemporary today. inThe spacezone of assembly furnished crates’ that land underascustoms control, people of Juneemergency to visit and discuss the function furniture for Iainvited pop-up art during event.the Anmonth animated map invites contested place and its relation with the world of contemporary art today. The space of asvisitors to carefully examine the alleged normality behind which critical economic sembly is furnished by ‘art crates’ that function as furniture for a pop-up art event. An animated processes take place. emergency map invites visitors to carefully examine the alleged normality behind which critical economic processes take place.
The very presence and focus on the physical functioning of the space recalls the centrality of placeand in focus the current discussions on globalism and transnationalism. The very presence on the physical functioning of the space recalls the centrality of The thendiscussions again put on into relationand with the global dynamics art,put placeplace in the is current globalism transnationalism. The placebetween is then again architecture and thanksbetween to a screening of theand MASQUERADE, into relation with theeconomy global dynamics art, architecture economy thanks toa afilm screenproject by the Belgian artists Vermeir & Heiremans on Saturday 12th of June ing of the MASQUERADE, a film project by the Belgian artists Vermeir & Heiremans on Saturday 2015, 12th of17h. June 2015, 17h.
Freeports and Warehouses, Emergency Map Animation, single channel video., 9’22’’. Exhibited in the freeport of Geneva, June 2015 A purportedly banal emergency map of the freeport of Geneva turns into an animation. One is taken into a walk around grey and yellow zones. The building seems to consist only of hallways and facades. The walls are changing over height and over time. Is this an accessible place?
Pop-up exhibition furniture wooden crate, 80cm x 80 cm Pop-up exhibition The crate can be unfolded into a bench, cupboard, pedestal ... all furniture needed Pop-up exhibition adaptable wooden crate, for adaptable a pop-up wooden exhibition. crate, 80cm 80cm xx 80 80 cm, cm, in in aa container container
I want to be a successful inhabitant, a place-maker. “… Every place is a knot in a meshwork, and the threads from which it is traced are lines of wayfaring. It is for this reason that I have consistently referred to wayfarers as inhabitants rather than locals, and to what they know as inhabitant rather than local knowledge. For it would be quite wrong to suppose that such people are confined within a particular place, or that their experience is circumscribed by the restricted horizons of a life lived only there. It would be equally wrong, however, to suppose that the wayfarer wanders aimlessly over the surface of the earth, with no place or places of abode. The experience of habitation cannot be comprehended within the terms of the conventional opposition between the settler and the nomad, since this opposition is itself founded on the contrary principle of occupation. Settlers occupy places; nomads fail to do so. Wayfarers, however, are not failed or reluctant occupants but successful inhabitants. They may indeed be widely travelled, moving from place to place -often over considerable distances- and contributing through these movements to the ongoing formation of each of the places through which they pass. Wayfaring, in short, is neither placeless nor place-bound but place-making. It would be described as a flowing line proceeding through a succession of places.” Ingold Tim (2007), “Lines”, p101
Facades windows hallways and doors. The outside, the surface or the in between ?
The shutter of our neighbour Art project with unexpected outcome, 2012. In Leuven, Belgium, some friends and me used to live in a very sad neighbourhood. The busy causeway had a small sidewalk and most people kept their shutters closed all day. I regret since years the tendency to close the facades and to live in our own ‘capsules’. So I imagined me painting all blinds of the street. I ringed the bell of my neighbour and met a very sequestered man with a remarkeable past. He initially didn’t like my drawings. After some silence I found a ID photo of him 20 years ago in my mailbox. I painted it on a small piece of wood and droped it in his mailbox. A week later, he knocked our door, with flowers, and cut hair. We drunk a tea and talked about the neighbourhood.
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Research of entrance halls in Geneva’s residential buildings Octobre-Novembre 2013
Social doors Models to be built, once. Decembre 2013. A door that is always ajar. A door for if you prefer the neighbours downstairs. A door to share a room. A door to share a cupboard. A door without a lock. A door for the unknown guest. ...
Land and territory Identity and nomadism The poetics of relation
“An aesthetics of the earth. ... An aesthetics of rupture and connection. … Because that is the crux of it, and almost everything is said in pointing out that under no circumstances could it ever be question of transforming land into territory again. Territory is the basis for conquest. Territory requires that filiation be planted and legitimated. Territory defined by its limits. A land henceforth has no limits. That is the reason it is worth defending against every form of alienation. Aesthetics of a variable continuum, of an invariant discontinuum.” Edouard Glissant, “Poetics of Relation”, P 132
Unreal Estate 2 channel video projection, 5’29’’, May 2015. This collaborative project with Mounia Steimer explores Glissant‘s aesthetics of the earth. Images filmed on a boat crossing the border from Switzerland to France on Lake Geneva represent the earth‘s variable continuum, or rather its invariant discontinuity.
CV Training 2013 - 2015 Master in Fine Arts Work.Master, University of the Arts (HEAD) Geneva Theoretical tutor: “The Art of Adressing” Supervisor: Charlotte Laubard Graduation project: “Geneva Freeports” Practical tutor: Uriel Orlow 2010 - 2012 Master of Science in Engineering: Architecture, Cum laude University of Leuven, Department ASRO Graduation Project: “Husn Camp Island, extending the identity of a Palestinian presence” w/ Lotte Dietvorst & Marthe Theuns Supervisors: Bruno DeMulder and Guido Geenen Readers: Ismae’l Sjeikh Hassan, Lieven De Cauter, Kelly Shannon 2007 - 2010
Bachelor of Engineering: Architecture, Magna cum laude University of Leuven, Department ASRO
2006
Animator youth work Crefi / chiro / vds speelplein
2001 - 2007
Secondary school: Latin - Mathematics VIIO handel en humaniora Borgloon
Work experience 2012 - 2013 Scenery for Artistic project ‘Masquerade’ w/ Dieter Leyssen In collaboration with: A.I.R (Katleen Vermeir & Ronny Heirmans) Funded by: VAF April - June 2013 WDOG architects, Brussels Architectural design: extension of a school
Feb - Marcb 2013
Z33, house of contemporary art, Hasselt Elaboration of exhibition concept on the notion of ‘Scarcity’ in collaboration with NAi Rotterdam (The New Institute for architecture and design)
Nov 2012 - Jan 2013 Ief Spincemaille, Werktank VZW Atelier assistant for project ‘Lightmap’ 2011- 2012
Release, music and theatre festival Coordinator infrastructure and logistics
Oct - Dec 2012
Gijs Van Vaerenbergh, architects/artists Project: A Retrospective Monument for Ghent Architectural Design of a farm
July 2011 - 2012 Speelpleinwerking Brussels Animator/coordinator July 2007 - 2010 Zephyr Belgium, Dirk Claesen & Hedwig Snoeckx Sculptors, taxidermists Atelier assistant: moulding techniques, finishing Art Projects / Residencies / Shows Edge, Une Histoire des Images, curated by Mounia Steimer and Sofie Regivue June 2015 Cinema Bellevaux, Lausanne Before the Free World, auto-residency and observatory June 2015 Geneva freeports and warehouses, La Praille
May 2015 Feb 2015 March 2015 Oct 2014
Poetics of Relation, an Exchange curated by Uriel Orlow and Bettina Malcomes LiveInYourHead Gallery, Geneva XXX Johannesburg, South-Africa Territories of Assembly, project initiated by Markus Miessen LiveInYourHead Gallery, Geneva Artsonje Art Centre, Seoul, South-Korea
ALPes, Art and Public Space, guided by Robert-Tissot Dec 2013 Site: la Commanderie de Compesières
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