Variation on the exhibition Esther Ferrer. Todas las variaciones son válidas, incluida esta, presented at the Palacio Velazquez of the Reina Sofía Museum in Madrid (from October 26, 2017 to February 25, 2018), the selection of works for CN D explores the different forms addressed by the artist: actions, photographs , drawings, video, sound works, among others. From the prime numbers to the number of steps, to the rhythm of the time, the exhibition invites you to walk, count, listen, calculate, move in different combinations. The public is invited to make use of simple objects: stick, rope, chairs, pendulum, put at its disposal, and according to the instructions designed by Esther Ferrer: all versions are valid, including these.
Esther Ferrer is best known for her performances, which have been her principal form of artistic expression since 1965, both as a soloist and as a member of the group ZAJ, until its dissolution in 1996. Her work has always been oriented to ephemeral artistic action rather than to permanent artistic production. She created, in collaboration with the painter José Antonio Sistiaga the first “Workshop for Free Expression,” in the 60s, an activity that was to inspire other similar groups in Spain. Beginning in the 70s, she has also been quite active in the plastic arts: reworked photographs, installations, canvases and constructions based on the prime number series, Pi and so forth. Her work is a very particular kind of minimalism, which she sometimes terms “rigorous absurdity” Esther Ferrer has performed throughout Europe (Yugoslavia, Poland, Germany, Italy, France, Switzerland, Belgium, Hungry, Holland, Denmark, Norway, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Cheek Republic, Spain etc.), as well as in Cuba, México, the United States, Mexico, Japan, Thailand and Korea, Palestine The performance continue to be her principal activity, though she has done many shows in museums such as, Foundation Miro (Barcelona – Spain), Centro de Arte Reina Sofía (Madrid – Spain), Koldo Mitxelena Kulturonea (San Sebastián – Spain), Centro Andaluz de Arte Contemporáneo (Sevilla – Spain), Museo de Neufchatel (Neufchatel Suitzerland) as well as in the J. and J. Donguy Gallery, Satellite Gallery, Lilian Vincy Gallery (Paris – France) , Trayecto Gallery (Vitoria – Spain), Angels (Barcelona- Spain), Trinta (Santiago de Compostela – Sapin) , Altxerri (San Sebastián – Spain) and Visor (Valencia – Spain), ARTIUM, (Vitoria – Spain), EsBaluard (Palma de Mallorca – Spain), CGAC Centre Gallego de Arte Contemporáneo (Santiago de Compostela – Spain) MAC/VAL, Vitry-sur-Seine, FRAC Bretaghne – Rennes (France), etc. In 1999 she was one of the two artist representing Spain in the Venice Biennale, in 2008 she recived le Spanish National prize for the Arts and in 2012 the Gure Artea Prize of Basque Government in 2013 MAV Prize (Mujeres en las Artes Visuales) and in 2014 the Price Marie Claire et the Velazquez Prize ( International prize in Spain). (CDN press-release)
Centre national de la danse. 1 rue Victor-Hugo. 93507 Pantin Cedex FRANCE
Image: Hommage a Bosch. Esther Ferrer