The Allure of the In-Between: Finding art in Liminality

The exhibition Home Sweet Home delves into the often-overlooked realm of liminal spaces – those transitional areas we traverse daily without a second thought. Corridors, waiting rooms, parking lots: these seemingly innocuous locations, frequently devoid of people and personality, exist almost outside the flow of time.Stripped of their intended purpose, they evoke a sense of unease and fascination, a feeling of being adrift.

This aesthetic resonates powerfully with the concept of backrooms in digital culture. The backrooms, a popular internet phenomenon, represent a fictitious and seemingly infinite universe comprised of mundane, empty rooms, trapping those who stumble into them as if through a glitch in reality. The exhibition draws inspiration from these unsettling atmospheres, inviting visitors on a journey where the familiar becomes alien and everyday landmarks lose their meaning.

Artists and Works Featured

The exhibition features works by a diverse group of artists, including:

• Philippe Durand
• anne-valérie Gasc
• Ann Veronica Janssens
• Vincent Lamouroux
• Jean-Charles massera
• Laurent Montaron
• Elena Panayotova
• Arno Piroud

Youthful Collaboration: Students Shape the Exhibition

In a unique collaboration, students from College Gilbert Chabroux, guided by artist Kévin Ardito, have created a video game accessible within the exhibition via an arcade terminal. This game offers an immersive and interactive experience, allowing visitors to further explore the themes of liminality and disorientation. This hands-on approach to art education provides students with invaluable experience in game design and interactive storytelling.

furthermore, students from the Pierre Brossolette high school’s plastic arts program actively participated in the selection of artworks for display and the design of the exhibition’s layout within St Antoine Park. This collaborative effort highlights the importance of engaging young people in the curatorial process, fostering a deeper thankfulness for art and its ability to reflect and shape our understanding of the world.

“Young Commissioners” Initiative: Empowering the Next Generation of Curators

Home Sweet Home is a key component of the Young commissioners project, an initiative spearheaded by IAC (Institut d’art contemporain). This innovative artistic and cultural education program empowers students to curate exhibitions using works from the IAC’s extensive collection. By providing students with the resources and mentorship necessary to develop their own curatorial vision, the Young Commissioners project cultivates the next generation of art professionals.

The project receives vital support from LPA Mobility, the Metropolis of Greater Lyon – EAC system and territories and educational cities (City of Villeurbanne).This collaborative funding model underscores the commitment of various stakeholders to fostering artistic expression and educational opportunities for young people in the region.

The Growing Fascination with Liminal Spaces

The exploration of liminal spaces in art and popular culture reflects a broader societal interest in the themes of transition, uncertainty, and the uncanny. In an increasingly fast-paced and interconnected world, these spaces offer a moment of pause, a chance to reflect on the nature of our surroundings and our place within them. The Home Sweet Home exhibition provides a compelling and thought-provoking exploration of these often-overlooked aspects of our everyday lives.