Flâneurs, copies, appropriations, citations from the collection of the Centre national des arts plastiques

Every change of context, every change of medium can be interpreted as a negation of the status of a copy as a copy—as an essential rupture, as a new start that opens a new future. In this sense, a copy is never really a copy; rather a new original in a new context. Every copy is by itself a flâneur—experiencing time and again its own “profane illuminations” that turn it into an original. It loses old auras and gains new auras. It remains perhaps the same copy, but it becomes different originals.

— Boris Groys, Going Public

This event marks the first public presentation of the English translation of the book Flâneurs. Copies, appropriations, citations from the collection of the Centre national des arts plastiques by curator and researcher Francesca Zappia. The book is structured as an imaginary museum and, through more than 300 images of artworks and interviews to contemporary artists, develops an original reflection on the value of artwork reproductions in art and heritage.

Facilitated by Jenny Brownrigg, the event will trace the development of the book after the research carried out by Francesca Zappia within the Centre national des arts plastiques's (Cnap) collection. It will feature a conversation with Cnap curator Juliette Pollet and artist and researcher Mathieu Kleyebe Abonnenc, as well as the screening of extracts from the films Malraux's Shoes (2012) by Dennis Adams and Reportage amateur (Maquette expo) by Jean-Luc Godard and Anne-Marie Miéville (2006).

Francesca Zappia is a curator and researcher. Her research looks at transmission of memory and fabrication of knowledge in artistic and cultural practices, with a focus on artworks reproduction. She will start a PhD at the Glasgow School of Art reimagining its plaster cast collection in a pedagogical and decolonial way. Her last book, Flâneurs, was developed within the frame of a curatorial grant from the Centre National des Arts Plastiques.

Jenny Brownrigg is a curator and writer. She is Exhibitions Director at The Glasgow School of Art. Her research interests include modern and contemporary Scottish women artists; and curating archives and collections in both heritage and contemporary contexts. Most recently, she curated ‘Glean: early 20th century women filmmakers and photographers in Scotland’, at City Art Centre, Edinburgh, Scotland (2022 / 2023).

Mathieu Kleyebe Abonnenc’s multifaceted approach includes the activities of artist, researcher, exhibition curator and film programmer to explore the areas neglected by colonial and post-colonial history. Recent solo exhibitions include Credac, Paris (2023); IFA, Berlin (2022), Kestner Gesellschaft, Hannover (2022), Jumex Foundation, Mexico City (2018), MMK, Frankfurt (2016), Kunsthalle, Basel (2013), Gasworks, London (2011). His work was also featured at the Casa Baragan, Mexico and the Serralves Foundation (2019), the Hammer Museum (2018), and the 56th Venice Biennale (2015). He was a DAAD guest in Berlin for 2019/2020.

Juliette Pollet is curator in charge of the CNAP’s Visual Arts Collection (from 1990 to the present) and responsible for the Curatorial research grant programme.