ELODIE ABERGEL
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Art
iv
ist
ABOUT
Artist statement
The artistic and social work of the French-Israeli artist Elodie Abergel has been for many years highly relevant to the contextual art movement. Her work has been part of various contemporary art movements for several years: contextual art, feminist art, conceptual art, visual art...
After training at the Beaux-Arts in Nantes, she moved to Jerusalem in 2005 to pursue what she called “Territories of Sharing” (T.D.P.). For nearly 10 years, in parallel with an abundant artistic creation, she was there committed to associations for peace and coexistence between peoples. The central place of identity and the question of territory, of visible or invisible borders is at the heart of her work through which she depicts the Middle Eastern conflict with humor and tenderness and emphasizes “repetition” to underline the absurdity of the Israeli-Palestinian situation.
From 2015 and until today, Elodie has also worked in the United States and France. From Jerusalem to Paris via New York, she develops with her works and her artistic action, an art of the present, offering a humanist, poetic and critical look at contemporary societies: the political situation, the place of women, the migration crisis, the excesses of the consumer society, the dehumanization of work, addictions, the health crisis, etc.
To this end, she uses materials or objects from her environment that she repurposes and different mediums (photography, installation, video, performance, etc.) depending on what she wishes to express. She also collects material, particularly photographic material, in order to compose digital works "by touch".
She defines herself as an activist artist, an “artivist” who “uses territories as open-air workshops and immersion in the heart of society as a source of inspiration in order to develop an art that is also meant to be “participatory”.
* Territories of Sharing” (T.D.P.): A concept born in 2005, consisting of an art installation where individuals from different religious and cultural associations can interact. Traces of these exchanges are re-transcribed into new forms, creating a new territory, giving rise to the final project. The “Shared Territories” (“Territoires de Partages, T.D.P.”) are what Nicolas Bourriaud calls “relational aesthetics”.
Co-construction
Déborah Abergel, clinical psychologist specializing in intercultural psychology, has dual training in psychoanalysis and anthropology. She has been practicing her profession in Paris for more than 20 years independently and within various associations helping migrants, young people with social difficulties and with disabilities. At the same time, she has developed a personal artistic practice, writes texts for different artists and contributes to several co-creation projects.
From collaboration to artistic co-construction, the Abergel sisters have developed interactive work between Paris and Jerusalem from 2007 on. The complementary approach they initiated took shape in 2012 through the exhibition “Etat-limite/Limit State”.
Some works are born of exchanges between them: from a "visual idea" that Elodie initiates, they develop a common reflection, imagine devices and Elodie realizes the works on the ground, not hesitating to stage herself in performances and videos. Other works are entirely imagined and produced by Elodie.
Déborah also writes all the texts that accompany the works. From conception to presentation, they co-construct together a work imbued with humanism, a committed art.
From 2015 and until today, Elodie has also worked in the United States and France. From Jerusalem to Paris via New York, she develops with her works and her artistic action, an art of the present, offering a humanist, poetic and critical look at contemporary societies: the political situation, the place of women, the migration crisis, the excesses of the consumer society, the dehumanization of work, addictions, the health crisis, etc.
To this end, she uses materials or objects from her environment that she repurposes and different mediums (photography, installation, video, performance, etc.) depending on what she wishes to express. She also collects material, particularly photographic material, in order to compose digital works "by touch".
She defines herself as an activist artist, an “artivist” who “uses territories as open-air workshops and immersion in the heart of society as a source of inspiration in order to develop an art that is also meant to be “participatory”.
Zellige Paris-Jerusalem Association
Elodie Abergel is the founder of Zellige Paris-Jerusalem association. It is a non-profit organisation founded in December 2010 to specifically support Sharing Territories actions, which has been taking place in Jerusalem for several years.
A Franco-Israeli-Palestinian team has been carrying out artistic actions in Israel and the Palestinian Territories in order to promote and provide a platform for intercultural exchange, and contribute to a better understanding between the two populations.
The team made several "Sharring Territories" with the Israeli and Palestinian populations according to arrangements put in place by the artist Elodie Abergel.
Sharing Territories
Creation concept launched in 2005 which consists in setting up an installation with which the public interacts. The final piece of
Creation concept launched in 2005 which consists in setting up an installation with which the public interacts. The final piece of artwork is obtained from artistic exchanges.
The aim of Territory Sharing is to bring people of different cultural backgrounds together around interactive art installations.
Some Sharing Territories are originate from "street art", the setting up of artistic installations in the street appealing directly to Israeli and Palestinian passers-by.
Other territory sharing activities have taken place in Jerusalem in partnership with Israeli and Palestinian institutions.
artwork is obtained from artistic exchanges.
The aim of Territory Sharing is to bring people of different cultural backgrounds together around interactive art installations.
Some Sharing Territories are originate from "street art", the setting up of artistic installations in the street appealing directly to Israeli and Palestinian passers-by.
Other territory sharing activities have taken place in Jerusalem in partnership with Israeli and Palestinian institutions.
