The curtains of dreams. Hypnagogic visions

Resulting from a discussion between Yann Chateigné and Joachim Koester, The curtain of dreams. Hypnagogic visions consists of a series of incursions in research devoted to ‘visual images’ – using Henri Michaux’s expression, from whom the title has been borrowed in part –, perceived by the spirit in a state of changed awareness. The argument is articulated in two parts and designed to interact with the exhibition Of Spirits and Empty Spaces, extending it by giving physical immersion in material common to both the artist and the critic. A sort of atlas for four hands, or even more, making its way through the open fields and obscure lands of hallucination, imaginary perceptions and inner visions.

Works under study / Laboratory room

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Joachim Koester, Demonology, 2010
Silver-gelatin print, 90 x 75 cm
Photo. © Blaise Adilon

 

Joachim Koester, My Frontier is an Endless Wall of Points (after the mescaline drawings of Henri Michaux), 2007
16 mm film, black and white, silent, 10’24”
Courtesy the artist and Gallery Jan Mot © Blaise Adilon

Joachim Koester, High Times, 2011
Gelatin-silver print, 31,9 x 25,1 cm
Photo. © Blaise Adilon

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Éric Duvivier’ films :
Un délire hallucinatoire [a hallucinatory delirium], 1961, 24’
Images du monde visionnaire [images from the visionnary world], 1963, 34’
Hystérie, langage du corps [hysteria, the body language], 1967, 43’
Autoportrait d'un schizophrène [self-portrait of a schizophrenic], 1977, 21’

Éric Duvivier, Images du monde visionnaire [images from the visionnary world], 1963
Author: Henri Michaux; Film director: Éric Duvivier; SCD Médecine Nancy I
With extraodinary lucidity and incredible precision, Henri Michaux succeeded to fix in his memory  images from the visionnary world that appear under hallucinogenic substances. The great scientific value of these experiments justified the medical purpose of this film.

Window display : “La perception de l’imaginaire” [imaginary perception]
Éric Duvivier’s archives

Window display 2 : “Ils boiront des poisons mortels et ils n’en mourront pas” [they will drink deadly poisons, and they will not die]
Archives and documentation about Henri Michaux and hallucinogenic experiences

Works under study / Container

Hypnagogic documentation gathered by Yann Chateigné
The Dream Land, 2011, a selection of videos by Yann Chateigné
Hypnagogic States, 2010, a sound selection by Yann Chateigné
Crystal Vibrations, 2011, a musical selection by Greg Davis

Joachim Koester, Crystal Ball, 2011
Gelatin-silver print with selenium toning, 30,5 x 20,5 cm
Photo. © Blaise Adilon

Concert

Greg Davis, Full Spectrum (Part 7)
Thursday, February 16, 2012 at IAC Auditorium

Guests

Joachim Koester
artist
Pacôme Thiellement
novelist and essayist
Greg Davis
composer and musician

Participants

Yann Chateigné
Art critic, exhibition curator and head of the Visual Arts department at HEAD (Haute école d’art et de design), Geneva.
Elisa Brune
writer (novelist and essayist) and science journalist
Denis Cerclet
anthropologist, lecturer at Université Lumière - Lyon 2
Arnauld Pierre
art historian, professor at Université Paris IV - Sorbonne
Jean-Louis Poitevin
doctor in philsophy, writer and art critic

Works under study

As part of Joachim Koester’s exhibition Of Spirits and Empty Spaces :

LABORATORY ROOM
“Autour d’Henri Michau
x” [about Henri Michaux]
Works of Joachim Koester, films and archives of Éric Duvivier and documentation about relations between hallucination and writing.

CONTAINER
“États Hypnagogiques” [hypnagogic states]
Archives and documents of William S. Burroughs, Roger Caillois, Carlos Castaneda, Brian Eno, Raymond Hains, Steven Halpern, David Hykes, Derek Jarman, Laraaji, David Lynch, Henri Michaux, Frank Perry, DickSutphen / Valley of the Sun

Musical selection
by Greg Davis / Crystal Vibrations

Study day

Thursday, February 16, 2012, IAC Auditorium

Discussion : “Des images entoptiques” [entoptic images]
Interview of Joachim Koester by Yann Chateigné : “Abstractions chargées” [heavy abstractions]
Pacôme Thiellement’s lecture : “25 minutes dans la salle d'attente des rêves” [25 minutes in the dreams waiting room]

Concert

Thursday, February 16, 2012 at IAC Auditorium

Greg Davis 
Full Spectrum (part 7)