Photo reportage from the group exhibition 'Between Ears, New Colours' at CRAC Alsace, Altkirch

From February 16, 2020 to January 10, 2021, Between Ears, New Colours, a group exhibition with Elena Narbutaitė and Hagar Schmidhalter, with the participation of Rosalind Nashashibi, curated by Elfi Turpin.

As exhibition titles succeeded one another, in search of a formula that wouldn’t settle anything, a volatile title-phenomenon, a mood, a title that would neither describe nor indicate its intentions, a title that would leave room for a bare experience of the exhibition, Elena was overtaken by a clear blue fear that things may never touch, Hagar by a vague green fear that she may no longer see the exhibition. Seeing that we no longer heard each other, I sent them the image of an offering, given by a certain Cutius to Asklêpiós, thanking him for restoring his lost hearing, a small square bas-relief showing a geometrical structure framing two ears sculpted in marble, most likely those of Cutius. Two ears facing one another, not only hearing but also speaking. Two ears saying thank you.

Hagar’s vision cleared, Elena saw things touch again. They began to see new colours floating in space, phenomena, images and affects, a song, a laser beam, a window reflection, the hysteria of electric light, wind in hair, a hand caressing a screen, a scientific conversation. They began to see new colours that sporadically bind themselves to a body, an object, an oversize paper sculpture, a lamp named Billy, an apathetic stone, a ruby, a machine or its technology, sometimes asking:

What forces hide behind words and things? What do you see behind your closed eyelids? Do you know how it is to be transparent?

—E.T., January 2020.

Between Ears, New Colours is part of Plein Soleil, l’été des centres d’art. Between Ears, New Colours is organised with the support of Lithuanian Cultural Institute, Pro Helvetia—Swiss Arts Council, Division of Cultural Affairs—Canton of Basel-Stadt, as well as Six Chairs Books, Vilnius.

Between Ears, New Colours
February 16, 2020 to January 10, 2021
CRAC Alsace, Centre rhénan d’art contemporain
Altkirch, France

Photography: Aurélien Mole

Hagar Schmidhalter, Colour Cut Cat, 2020. Vidéos, boucle, couleur, son. Courtesy de l’artiste. Production CRAC Alsace. Photo: Aurélien Mole

Elena Narbutaitė, Before Ivan Chai And Blueberry Leaves, Vytas’ Tea, 2020. Papiers, scotchs. Dimensions variables. Courtesy de l’artiste et Galería PM8. Production CRAC Alsace. Photo: Aurélien Mole

Elena Narbutaitė, Palaces, 2019–2020. Papiers, scotchs. Dimensions variables. Large Palace With Gold And Silver, 2020. Papiers, scotchs. Dimensions variables. Courtesy de l’artiste et Galería PM8. Production CRAC Alsace. Photo: Aurélien Mole

Hagar Schmidhalter, Sans titre, 2020. Deux pierres, porte. Dimensions variables. Courtesy de l’artiste. Photo: Aurélien Mole

Elena Narbutaitė, Mols, 2020. Papiers, scotchs. Dimensions variables. Production CRAC Alsace. Billy, 2018. Lampe à LED, modèle Lume 20R produit par LEDigma Ltd. 11 x 11x 9 cm. Courtesy de l’artiste et Galería PM8. Courtesy de l’artiste et Galería PM8.
Hagar Schmidhalter, Windows (18 rue du Château), 2020. Verre, bois. 250 x 90 cm chaque. Courtesy de l’artiste. Production CRAC Alsace. Photo: Aurélien Mole

Elena Narbutaitė, Mols, 2020. Papiers, scotchs. Dimensions variables. Production CRAC Alsace. Billy, 2018. Lampe à LED, modèle Lume 20R produit par LEDigma Ltd. 11 x 11x 9 cm. Courtesy de l’artiste et Galería PM8. Courtesy de l’artiste et Galería PM8.
Hagar Schmidhalter, Windows (18 rue du Château), 2020. Verre, bois. 250 x 90 cm chaque. Courtesy de l’artiste. Production CRAC Alsace. Photo: Aurélien Mole

Hagar Schmidhalter, Windows (18 rue du Château), 2020. Verre, bois. 250 x 90 cm chaque. Courtesy de l’artiste. Production CRAC Alsace. Elena Narbutaitė, Billy, 2018. Lampe à LED, modèle Lume 20R produit par LEDigma Ltd. 11 x 11x 9 cm. Courtesy de l’artiste et Galería PM8. Courtesy de l’artiste et Galería PM8. Photo: Aurélien Mole

Elena Narbutaitė, Billy, 2018. Lampe à LED, modèle Lume 20R produit par LEDigma Ltd. 11 x 11x 9 cm. Courtesy de l’artiste et Galería PM8. Photo: Aurélien Mole

Elena Narbutaitė, Mols, 2020. Papiers, scotchs. Dimensions variables. Production CRAC Alsace. Courtesy de l’artiste et Galería PM8. Photo: Aurélien Mole

Hagar Schmidhalter, Open Windows, 2020. Dix photographies, impression jet d’encre, montées sur aluminium, plexiglas. 52 x 77 x 3,3 cm chaque. Courtesy de l’artiste. Production CRAC Alsace. Photo: Aurélien Mole

Hagar Schmidhalter, Open Windows, 2020. Dix photographies, impression jet d’encre, montées sur aluminium, plexiglas. 52 x 77 x 3,3 cm chaque. Vertical Element, 2020. Acier. Dimensions variables. Courtesy de l’artiste. Production CRAC Alsace. Photo: Aurélien Mole

Elena Narbutaitė, Sun, 2017. Laser fabriqué en collaboration avec Optronika. Dimensions variables. Courtesy de l’artiste et Galería PM8. Production CRAC Alsace. Photo: Aurélien Mole

Elena Narbutaitė, You, Me, and Rosie, 2019. Aquarelle sur papier. 28,5 x 21,5 cm. Courtesy de l’artiste et Galería PM8. Photo: Aurélien Mole

Hagar Schmidhalter, South West North, 2020. Ventilateurs. 190 x 190 x 45 cm chaque. Courtesy de l’artiste. Production CRAC Alsace. Photo: Aurélien Mole