PERDU
DANS LA
TRADUCTION
JAKE GOODHALL ELLIE CASHMAN JORDAN BETLEY BRITNEY LAM
Madame,
14/09/87
Madame,
Like the Hannover project we also intend to complement the exhibitions with artists’s studio exchanges. The first will take place in September 88. This will consist of 2 artists form Bristol and 2 artists from Bordeaux exchanging studios and accommodation for one month, so they can work and make contacts in these two cities. We also intent a furthur two exchanges to take place in Spring 89. Extract from a letter.
Bristol and Bordeaux are twin cities, and with Spike Island being a national centre for design and artwork an exchange seemed like a great idea. With the letters starting as early as 1986, this project was one in the works that lasted for a long duration. It’s first purpose was to celebrate the twinning of Bristol and Bordeaux. The purpose of this publication is to re-archive the archive, re-document the documents. It’s to highlight the miscommuniation and translation, and to help demonstrate the immense amount of work that went into all the little aspects of this exchange.
Left: The folder we worked from. Above: A part of a letter concerning the exchange.
Bristol
Bordeaux
The exchange will feature as follows 2 Bristol artists will be coming to Bordeaux 2 Bordeaux artists will be coming to Bristol 10 Sep/Oct 88
Sent as part of a letter from Helen Schell explaining the costs of an exchange. 25/01/89
159 15 20 194 194 388 1
oublié expérience
Thank you for your recent Nous vous remercions letter selecting four pour votre récente lettre members of Artspace for the slecting quatre membres de exhibition at your gallery. Artspace pour l’exposition We are very pleased you à la galerie. Nous sommes have chosen these artists. très heureux que vous ayez John Drummond will be choisi ces artistes. John contacting you in the next Drummond prendra contact couple of weeks concerning avec vous dans les semaines furthur arrangements for the arrangements. exhibition.
Letter sent to Caroline White detailing some of the first exchanges. 02/05/88
Artspace Bristol was interested in exchanging artists with another country, Bristol has strong connections with Hannover in Germany and Bordeaux in France so this seemed like the ideal place to start the project. Previously Artspace Bristol had a successful exhibition with Hannover, Germany which proved to be a very educational visit, so it was decided that another visit would be necessary.
Artspace Bristol était intéressé à échanger avec les artistes dans un autre pays, Bristol a des liens étroits avec Hanovre en Allemagne et Bordeaux en France alors cela semblait être l'endroit idéal pour démarrer le projet. Auparavant Artspace Bristol avait une exposition réussie à Hanovre, en Allemagne, qui s'est avéré être une visite très instructive, il a été décidé qu'une autre visite serait nécessaire.
Previous: An envelope found addressed to Helen Schell. 20/06/87
Dear Sheila, Thank you very for your letter about exhibition space in Bordeaux, it was a great help. I will contact the two galleries with our proposals and send them information about Artspace. I have already been in touch with the Direction Regionale Des Affaires Culturelles who have expressed an interest in our plans. As regards the studio exchanges I am having to organize this with Jean-Christophe Aguas as he knows who to contact in Bordeaux. If you would like to be one of the exchange artists it be best to contact him, but I would be pleased to support you in view of the help you are giving us. These should take place between April 88 and April 89 and last one month each. There will be funding for four artists. I’m afraid at the moment plans to have Bordeaux artists exhibiting in Bristol are going slowly. I believe I told you in my last letter Artspace does not have its own exhibition space and there is a shortage of space in Bristol. Barry Barker who runs the Arnolfini Arts Centre is suppose to be visiting Bordeaux in the near future, but because he is renovating the gallery he is very busy and keeps delaying it. He has met JeanChristophe Arguas and wants to arrange an exchange with him, but this wouldn’t happen until late next year. I have given him your name and I hope he will contact you. I also intend to contact other commercial galleries in Bristol, but they are small and tend to take traditional work. As you might understand because this year we put so much money and effort into providing an exhibition for the Hannover artists in Bristol we are keen to take Artspace abroad next year, but we do want Bordeaux artists to exhibit in Bristol. It might take a bit longer to organize. I will keep you up
Part of a conversation between Helen Schell and Sheila Crider, discussing the initial exchange.
to date with any developments and I hope you will do likewise. I hope to visit Bordeaux but at the moment I have the usual problem, no money. Keep in touch, Helen Schell.
Dear Helen, Thank-you for your letter 29/09/87. As I indicated to Bruce and Jok, I am very interested in an exchange between the artists of our two cities and am willing to do what I can to help bring it about. Here is the name of two artists affiliated galleries. I don’t have access to either but I think the people concerned would be interested in participating by hosting an exhibit and in providing a group of artists to exhibit in Bristol: REPORTAGE 5, rue de Couvent 33000 Bordeaux contact: Didier Dheurle CHANTIER DU CHAI 23, rue de Chai des Farines 33000 Bordeaux contact: Gilles-Christian Rethore As far as funding goes, I suggest you begin with the office of cultural affairs: DIRECTION REGIONALE DES AFFAIRES CULTURELLES pour l’AQUITAINE 28, place Gambetta 33000 Bordeaux contact: Jean-Louis Connan To facilitate things for you here, I am going to speak to each of these people about you contacting them. I plan to photocopy the flier so they will at least have a little background information about ARTSPACE. When I visited the association Bordeaux/Bristol, Madame Deberne indictaed she could offer assistance in terms of transport. Now that I have the letter I will ask
Part of a conversation between Helen Schell and Sheila Crider, discussing the initial exchange.
for more details, etc. I, with five or six other artists, would be interesting in an exhibit as part of this exchange. We are planning a show for next November and will possibly be able to offer space in exchange but even the possibility cannot be confirmed until December. Is it possible to have exhibits without having a space to exchange? Lastly, how does one get to be one of the four visiting French artists? One of the things Jok and I discussed was collaboration, and I must admit I am excited about the idea‌ I think it would be very good if you could come to Bordeaux. It would make the organizing easier from the standpoint of having all the people together at once. If you come, I can offer you accommodation and take you around. Hope these contacts help, Sincerely Sheila Crider.
Above: Right:
A letter informing Bordeaux of planned exchange. Highlighting a translation made in english on a french letter.
Conversation between Helen Schell of Bristol and Muriel Wilson of Bordeaux.
Dear Muriel Wilson I contacted you last year regarding the idea of exchanges for artists between Bristol and Bordeaux. This project has now become a reality with several artistic events planned in the next couple of years.
Dear Miss Schell, Thank you for your letter regarding the project for an exchange of artists between Bristol and Bordeaux. I shall need to discuss your application with my colleague in the Council’s Paris office when we have been able to consider what support the Council can offer. As you know, this Department does not offer financial support for town-twinning initiatives and our response will therefore depend on how far the Council in France feels the project fits its own policies.
Artspace Bristol has put many months of time and energy into making this project a success, but unfortunately we do not have the financial resources to cover complete cost of this exciting project, so therefore we must submit a formal application for help from the British Council. This is only the first stop for what we want to achieve and eventually we intend the project to include other cities in France and Europe. We will keep you informed of the developments. As this project expands we will of course be trying to raise funds from other private and public sources. I enclose a detailed information sheet with the hope we will get a positive response from you.
Yours sincerely
Yours sincerely,
Muriel Wilson.
Helen Schell.
Translation of a letter sent to Jean-Louis Froment.
Dear Jean-Louis Froment, I am contacting you once again concerning the Bristol/Bordeaux twinning celebrations. I hope you recieved my last letters and the catalogue I sent you about Artspace Bristol (Artists’ Studio Provision) Ltd. In February, Catherine Tarride of the British Consulate in Bordeaux gave us a lot of information about Bordeaux including the C.A.P.C and we would be very interested in organising an exhibition with your gallery. We also gave her information about us and I hope she has contacted you and told you about our organisation. She invited four Artspace Artists to stay with Bordeaux Artists in April or May. We are hoping to visit in May and would like to meet you to discuss ideas and show you a portfolio about Artspace Artists. As I mentioned in my last letter I have also contacted Jean-Christophe Aguas of the Ek’ymose Gallery, Francois-Noel Simoneau of the Direction Regionale d’Aquitaine and Patrick Vittet-Philippe, the cultural Attache in London and they have all shown an interest in our proposed plans and wish to help with them. I hope you will be interested in this project as we at Artspace feel it would be very beneficial for the Art organisations of Bristol and Bordeaux to have a stronger and a permenant connection. We would like to organise an exchange of exhibitation for 1988. Yours truly, Artspace Bristol
Conversation between Artspace Bristol and Jean-Louis Froment of Bordeaux discussing initial plans of the exchange.
02/03/89. Helen Schell, the co-ordinator of the project, sends Muriel Wilson a formal letter requesting £388 in order to continue with the exchange. Helen Schell, le coordinateur du projet, Muriel Wilson envoie une lettre officielle demandant £388 afin de poursuivre l’échange.
Facing Page: A document dating from the 16th March 1989 rejecting Helen Schell’s application for £388 to continue this project. Right: On 20th July 1989, a rather upsetting letter was sent from Miss Schell explaing that once again their exchange could not be brought to fruition.
We have no letters after this point.