Patrick Grenier
February-March 2008
About the Artist
Grenier is an interdisciplinary artist from Quebec, Canada. He received an undergraduate degree in art and art history at Pratt Institute and an MA from New York University in critical theory and social thought. His work has appeared at venues across the US and Canada including the New Museum, Bronx Museum of the Arts, Norton Museum of Art, Athens Institute for Contemporary Art, Cornell Museum, Aljira, and TaCo/Tacoma Contemporary. Recent reviews of his work have appeared in Archistorm, The New York Times, TimeOut New York and Flavorpill. His curatorial project 'Slow Revolution' at Rotunda in Brooklyn presented the work of artists who privilege idleness and give emphasis to revolutionary acts.
Artist Statement
"As an interdisciplinary artist I maintain a practice centered on ideas that determine the form of a given work. My production includes traditional media such as drawing and sculptural works as well as performance, audio works and curating. I do not recognize autonomy between the art world and society at large; instead I think that the role of an artist in society is to advance change socially, culturally and politically. For me art is the imagining of possibilities, a glimpse at a reality that could be, so that perhaps when the opportunity arises a legible proposal is at hand and can be cultivated. The artwork I produce integrates everyday life with critical observations to unveil the influence of dominant cultural forms on our collective psyche. My recent series of performances 'Democratic Decrees' is a direct response to the political disenfranchisement caused by the Cheney/Bush administration's legislative actions. While existing as performance art and not direct political action, it allows for the expression of spontaneous desires that are not universal as counter to laws that objectify us as humans with disregard for our individuality. It is my aim with this and other projects to juxtapose socio-cultural situations to stimulate discussion and challenge dominant forces." –Patrick Grenier
Project Description
NOMSKUL (NOMadic SKULpture) is a community-based project that invites local citizens to collaborate in the creation of a film as a community portrait.
Interested in art as a social interaction, Grenier strives to locate a position in society to foster change. For NOMSKUL the artist plays the roll of a nineteenth century engineer and uses early film technology. In 1890 engineers and scientist were hungry for the opportunity to experiment with their prototypes by recording as many varied subjects as possible. By making one of the most diverse communities in the U.S. its subject, NOMSKUL is able to recapture the spirit of these early pioneers of cinema.
Perform a song, dance, do a trick, talk about a dream, clown around, stage a mini-play, recite a poem or present a unique skill inside the NOMSKUL film studio. Each presentation will be recorded on 8mm black and white film with sound. The final film will be projected on the south wall of Utica's City Hall in addition to both the Syracuse and Utica Film Festivals and the nationally touring Black Mariah Film Festival.
NOMSKUL provides a public forum for individuals to express themselves or share ideas with their community. The NOMSKUL is a Social Sculpture, in the spirit of Joseph Beuys, an art form that invites participation from everyone to shape an understanding of a social body. Today we are oversaturated with spectacle and technology that often numbs intimate and local relationships, but NOMSKUL encourages play and assembly resulting in a documentary portrait of community.