Press Release

Philippe Thomas
18 February – 13 May 2001
general coordination : Yves Aupetitallot
curator of the exhibition : Corinne Diserens
in collaboration with Claire Burrus mandatory of Philippe Thomas

This exhibition, presented in MACBA, Barcelona (27 September – 26 November 2000) is the first retrospective to be held since the artist's death in 1995. It provides an almost exhaustive view of his work, with about 200 pieces (photographs, paintings, objects, installations and texts).
The exhibition plan is designed to bring out the nature and aesthetic concerns of Thomas' artistic project. It keeps as close as possible to the chronology of his work and to the interpretative guidelines provided by Thomas himself.

Philippe Thomas appeared on the Parisian art scene at the end of the 1970s. Starting in 1978, his first “exhibitions” were held mainly in the framework of the gallery run by Ghislain Mollet-Viéville, an art agent and active supporter of minimal and conceptual art. A good number of Thomas’ collaborative projects were undertaken with other artists who were close to the gallery: Jean-François Brun, Jean-Claude Lefèvre, Dominique Pasqualini and Claude Rutault.

He was particularly close to Dominique Pasqualini and Jean-François Brun, with whom he founded “Information, Fiction, Publicité” (IFP) in November 1983. This collective agency made use of the various materials, codes and representations found in journalism, the media and advertising, transposing these into a complex artistic practice and discourse. The work of IFP questioned the status of the art object and its author as well as the tools of its distribution, exchange and reception. This collective experience was a relatively brief one for Thomas, who left the group in 1985 to pursue his work on his own.
At the end of the same year, his exhibition at Galerie Claire Burrus, Fictionnalisme : une pièce à conviction, laid the essential foundations for what was to follow. Sharing the rejection of formalism that characterised his generation, Thomas set about reversing the relation between the producer and his production, the art object: “Thomas severed this link [between the artwork and its producer] by opening artistic creation to the fictional structures that obtain in literature or movie narrative, whereby the characters in a novel speak through and thanks to the voice of the author. Thomas introduced this relation into the visual arts.” (Elisabeth Lebovici, art press no. 261, October 261). As author, Thomas delegated his function to the collector who acquired the work or, in many cases, to an indefinite ensemble, the public or a social body, by endowing them with the role of signatory via his agency “readymades belong to everyone”. This was the basis of his “fictionalism” in which, as in literature and the movies, the characters of the chosen artistic fiction speak through the voice of the author.

The “fictional” subjects thus treated came mainly from the world of art. Art history itself was directly questioned in Pétition de principe, in which a black-and-white photograph advertises for characters to participate in art history, or in Feux Pâles at Bordeaux, where it was both the subject and issue. The contemporary status of art and its social, economic and political position were common themes. With its storerooms, office and numerous tools and accessories, the “agency” embodied an idea of an artistic practice that, to borrow the terms used by Patricia Falguières, is akin to that of a business. The agency’s installation at the MAMCO (Geneva) could thus be seen as a history painting in the same way as those 17th-century paintings of cabinets d’amateurs in Antwerp, making it a contemporary version of the Enseigne de Gersaint.
Thomas’ work involves numerous different levels of exchange and transaction: the exchange of status that occurs between the author, the work, its collector and its reception. It is also marked by an interchange of signs between the different areas of artistic production, essentially literature and art, or between the space in which art is shown and the printed page.
Thomas’ work addresses the questions of the author, the institution, the status of the artwork and art object, and the underlying exchange values that they conceal.

Philippe Thomas was born in 1951 in Nice and died in 1995 in Paris.

Exhibition checklist
Chronology order
Captions: work signatory (if there is one) / title (italic) and year / material used / collection

AB, 1978
42 pages, edition of 1, 30 x 22 cm
Archives Ph. Thomas - Courtesy Benoît d’Aubert

Spenserm
philippe thomas, 1978
Editions Katia Pissaro
Archives Ph. Thomas - Courtesy Benoît d’Aubert

pour la nausée philippe thomas sans titre, 1978
published in Obliques, n° 18-19, special Sartre
Archives Ph. Thomas - Courtesy Benoît d’Aubert

sans titre philippe thomas, 1979
artalect, Paris
12 pages, edition 1/100, 29,7 x 21 cm.
Archives Ph. Thomas - Courtesy Benoît d’Aubert

Anonyme
Un manuscrit trouvé, 1981
7 typed pages, edition of 50, 29,7 x 21 cm
Collection Benoît d’Aubert

Museum für Kultur, Berlin
Frage der Präsentation, 1982
Publication of 26 clipped pages, 21 x 15 cm
Archives Ph. Thomas - Courtesy Benoît d’Aubert

IFP
Générique, 1984
Light box, aluminium, methacrylate, neon lights, poster, duratrans
13,5 x 93 x 67 cm
Collection Daniel Bosser

IFP
Société Générale, 1984
Light box, aluminium, methacrylate, neon lights, poster, duratrans
13,5 x 93 x 67 cm
Collection Daniel Bosser

Fictionalisme: Une pièce à conviction,1985
Publication of 40 pages
500 copies, edition Galerie Claire Burrus

Esther Schipper
Sujet à discrétion, 1985
3 colour photographs and 3 labels
65 x 80 cm (photo), 4 x 12 cm (cartel)
Collection galeries contemporaines des musées de Marseille

Lidewij Edelkoort
Sujet à discrétion, 1985
3 colour photographs and 3 labels
65 x 80 cm (photo), 4 x 12 cm (label)
Collection Lidewij Edelkoort

Jean Brolly
Sujet à discrétion, 1985
3 colour photographs and 3 labels
65 x 80 cm (photo), 4 x 12 cm (label)
Collection Daniel Bosser

André Morin
Sujet à discrétion, 1985
3 colour photographs and 3 labels
65 x 80 cm (photo), 4 x 12 cm (label)
Collection Bruno Hoang

Daniel Bosser
Sujet à discrétion, 1985
3 colour photographs and 3 labels
65 x 80 cm (photo), 4 x 12 cm (label)
Collection FRAC Corse

Michel Tournereau
Philippe Thomas: sujet à discrétion ?, 1985
Manuscript of 10 pages under plexiglass
38 x 30 cm
Collection Daniel Bosser


Fictionalisme : Une pièce à conviction, 1985
8 colour photographs and 8 labels
1 photo 150 x 200 cm, 7 photos 60 x 80 cm
Collection Fonds National d’Art Contemporain

Eric Decelle
Des coupures de la presse, 1986
Serigraphy on plexiglass and label
120 x 120 cm, cartel 2,5 x 12,5 cm
Collection Eric Decelle, Brussels

readymades belong to everyone
Display, 1987
Colour photographs pasted on black plexiglass,
70 x 50 cm each
Succession Ph. Thomas - Courtesy Benoît d’Aubert

readymades belong to everyone
Display. Allan McCollum, Barbara Gladstone, Joseph Kosuth, Sujet à discrétion, 1987
1 colour photography, paste on black plexiglass,
70 x 50 cm
Collection Colin de Land

Simone de Cosi
Sans titre, 1987
Serigraphy on mirror-steal and label
80 x 120 cm, cartel 4,5 x 11 cm
Collection FRAC Corse

Jacques Salomon
les ready-made appartiennent à tout le monde. Morceaux choisis pour une révision du droit au registre des auteurs, 1987
Collection M.J.S. Paris

Untitled, 1987
Serigraphy on mirror-steal, 80x120 cm
Collection A. Clairet / Mamco, Geneva

readymades belong to everyone
A readymade stripped bare by its representation, even 1987
Cork board, polaroid, 60x80 cm
Succession Ph. Thomas / MAMCO, Geneva


les ready-made appartiennent à tout le monde
La Pétition de principe, 1988
Black and white photography 120x154 cm, green plant, pedestal table, gold book and visiting cards
Collection M.J.S.

readymades belong to everyone
You can change it all by saying yes,1988
Black and white photography, 58,5 x 42 cm
Collection Benoît d’Aubert

les ready-made appartiennent à tout le monde
Il suffit de dire oui, 1988
Black and white photography, 58,5 x 42 cm
Collection Françoise et Jean-Philippe Billarant

les ready-made appartiennent à tout le monde
Une fiction qui fait l’unanimité,1988
Diptych, b/w photographs 152 x 120 cm each
Collection capcMusée d’art contemporain, Bordeaux

les ready-made appartiennent à tout le monde
Publicité, publicité, 1988
Black and white photography, 157 x 123 cm.
Collection capcMusée d’art contemporain, Bordeaux

Los ready-made pertenecen a todos
Publicidad, publicidad, 1988
Black and white photography, 157 x 123 cm.
Private collection

readymades belong to everyone
Advertising, advertising, 1988
Black and white photography, 157 x 123 cm.
Collection Françoise Epstein-Darmon

Jacques Salomon
L’obligation de réserve, 1988
250 cinema “claps” in wood, variable dimension
Collection M.J.S. Paris

Georges Verney-Carron
Agencement 88, 1988
2 duratans photographs, neon light
Collection FRAC Alsace

les ready made appartiennent à tout le monde ®
1988, 1988
Planning board and serigraph texts, 87 x 125 cm
Collection Mobilier National, Paris

Christophe Durand-Ruel
Souvenir écran, 1988
Framed cinema screen on floor, cinema “clap”, wood, 46,5 x 309,5 x 200,5 cm
MNAM, Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris

Pierre Cornette de Saint-Cyr
® 097130098021, 1988
black on white, acrylic on canvas, 97 x 130 cm + label
Collection Pierre Cornette de Saint Cyr

Gilles Dusein
® 097130127011, 1989
pink on grey, acrylic on canvas, 97 x 130 cm + label
Collection Eric Decelle / MAMCO, Geneva

Yvonne Fischer
® 097130189026, 1989
white on black, acrylic on canvas, 97x130 cm + label
Private collection / MAMCO, Geneva

Luciano Inga-Pin
® 097130167017, 1989
blue on grey, acrylic on canvas 97x130 cm + label
Collection Hervé Acker

Armand Bartos Jr.
® 097130167024, 1989
blue on grey, acrylic on canvas, 97 x 130 cm + label

Bruce A. Beal
® 097130168014, 1989
blue on white, acrylic on canvas, 97 x 130 cm + label
Collection of Bruce A. Beal

Christophe Durand-Ruel
® 097130189019, 1989
white on black, acrylic on canvas, 97 x 130 cm + label
Collection Christophe Durand-Ruel

Mirèse de Gunzburg
® 097130189033, 1989
white on black, acrylic on canvas + 97 x 130 cm + cartel
Collection Mirèse de Gunzburg

Edouard Merino
Insight, 1989
Triptych: colour photographs and label
60 x 90 cm (photo), 4,5 x 11 cm (label)
Collection Edouard Merino

Los ready-made pertenecen a todos ®
1989
2 photographs b/w, 154 x 120 cm each
Succession Ph. Thomas / MAMCO, Geneva

Jay Chiat
Insight, 1989
6 photographs cibachrome
It’s our Pleasure to Serve You
Plants
Whiskey and Book
Business Cards
Books
Books
Collection Jay Chiat Foundation

les ready- made appartiennent à tout le monde ® 1989
2 photographs b/w, 154 x 120 cm each
Collection Pierre Cornette de Saint Cyr

les ready made appartiennent à tout le monde ®
1989, 1989
Planning board and serigraph texts, 87 x 125 cm
Collection Mobilier National

les ready made appartiennent à tout le monde ®
1990, 1990
Planning board, magnetic element and serigraph texts, 87 x 125 cm
Collection Françoise et Jean-Philippe Billarant, Paris

Chiat/ Day/ Mojo/ New York, readymades belong to everyone
TBWA/ Milan, metti la tua firma nella storia del arte
BDDP/Paris, Cette publicité peut changer votre vie
Leagas Delaney / Londres, Become a great artist without the pain, anguish and poverty
Rottke Werbung / Düsseldorf, Werden Sie unsterblich
1990
5 photographs cibachrome 120 x 170 cm, video 5’
Collection M.J.S.

Jacques Salomon
Etude de cartel n° 6, 1990
Light table, A4 Rhodoid film
Collection M.J.S.

Alain Clairet
Grand Fond n° 1, 1990
Colorshade paste on PVC + label, 280 x 90 cm
Collection A. Clairet / MAMCO, Geneva

Vincent Wapler
Grand Fond n° 2, 1990
Colorshade paste on PVC + label, 280 x 90 cm
Private collection / MAMCO, Geneva

Jacques Toulorge
Grand Fond n° 3, 1990
Colorshade paste on PVC + label, 280 x 90 cm
Private collection

Carine Campo
® 097130278010, 1990
grey on white, acrylic on canvas, 97 x 130 cm + label
Collection Carine Campo, Antwerpen

Michel Gransard
® 097130298032, 1990
black on white, acrylic on canvas, 100 x 130 cm + label
Collection Michel Gransard

Jacques Toulorge
® 097130298070, 1990
black on white, acrylic on canvas, 97 x 130 cm + label
Collection Jacques Toulorge / MAMCO, Geneva

Denyse Durand-Ruel
® 097130257022, 1990
red on grey, acrylic on canvas, 97 x 130 cm + label
Collection François Durand-Ruel

Paolo Vitolo
® 097130298049, 1990
black on white, acrylic on canvas, 97 x 130 cm + label
Collection Maité et Jean Claude Faye, Reims

Christine Fain
® 097130298025, 1990
black on white, acrylic on canvas, 97 x 130 cm + label
Private collection

Serge Klugman
® 097130298063, 1990
black on white, acrylic on canvas, 97 x 130 + label
Collection Nicolas Klugman

Vincent Wapler
® 097130278034, 1990
grey on white, acrylic on canvas, 97 x 130 cm + label
Private collection / MAMCO, Geneva

Céline Cazals
® 097130298018, 1990
black on white, acrylic on canvas, 97 x 130 cm + label
Private collection / MAMCO, Genève

capcMusée d’art contemporain de Bordeaux
® 097130268011, 1990
dark blue on white, acrylic on canvas, 97 x 130 cm
Collection capcMusée d’art contemporain, Bordeaux

Manuel E. Gonzalez
® 097130257015, 1990
red on grey, acrylic on canvas, 97 x 130 cm + cartel
Collection Chase Manhattan Bank

Alain Clairet
® 097130278027, 1990
grey on white, acrylic on canvas, 97 x 130 cm + label
Collection Alain Clairet / MAMCO, Geneva

Dominique Pollet
® 097130289016, 1990
white on black, acrylic on canvas, 97 x 130 cm + label
Private collection

Jederman N.A. Propriété privée, 1990
Slab of parket, panel, photography cibachrome,
117 x 134 cm
Collection capcMusée d’art contemporain, Bordeaux
and Private collection / MAMCO, Geneva

Chiat/Day/Mojo
advertising for readymades belong to everyone, 1990
Photography cibachrome, 170 x 120 cm
Collection galerie Massimo Minini, Brescia

La collection de Georges Venzano, 1990
Black and white photography, 250 x 350 cm
Collection capcMusée d’art contemporain, Bordeaux

les ready made appartiennent à tout le monde
® computer, 1990
Computer and software Macintosh Runtime, floppy disk
Succession Ph. Thomas-courtesy Benoît d’Aubert

Marc Blondeau
11 rue de Miromesnil, 75008 Paris, 1990
Stickers, wood paddle, cardboard boxes
Private collection, courtesy Marc Blondeau S.A.

Marc Blondeau
Paris, 1990
Colour photography, 80 x 100 cm
Private collection, courtesy Marc Blondeau S.A.

Marc Blondeau
Paris, 1990
Colour photography, 80 x 100 cm
Private collection, courtesy Marc Blondeau S.A.

Marc Blondeau
11 rue Berryer, Paris, 1990
Colour photography, 100 x 80 cm
Private collection, courtesy Marc Blondeau S.A.

Marc Blondeau
Marseille, 1990
Colour photography, 100 x 80 cm
Private collection, courtesy Marc Blondeau S.A.

Marc Blondeau
Bordeaux, 1991
Colour photography, 100 x 80 cm
Private collection, courtesy Marc Blondeau S.A.

Marc Blondeau
Bordeaux, 1991
Colour photography, 100 x 80 cm
Private collection, courtesy Marc Blondeau S.A.

Marc Blondeau
Lisbonne, 1991
Colour photography, 100 x 80 cm

Marc Blondeau
Paris, 1991
Colour photography, 100 x 80 cm
Private collection, courtesy Marc Blondeau S.A.

Galerie Claire Burrus
® 097130398022, 1991
black on white, acrylic on canvas + label
97 x 130 cm + cartel 4,5 x 11 cm
Collection Claire Burrus

Bruno Hoang-Gia
® 097130398015, 1991
black on white, acrylic on canvas, 97 x 130 cm + label
Collection Bruno Hoang

Josée Gensollen
® 097130398046, 1991
black on white, acrylic on canvas, 97 x 130 cm + label
Marc et Josée Gensollen, Marseille

Massimo Minini
® 097130398039, 1991
black on white, acrylic on canvas, 97 x 130 cm + label
Collection galerie Massimo Minini, Brescia

les ready-made appartiennent à tout le monde ® pour la Caisse des dépôts et consignations
Un cabinet d’amateur, 1991
12 black and white photographs, cart with shelves
Collection de la caisse des dépôts et consignations

readymades belong to everyone ®
1991, 1991
Planning board and serigraph texts
Succession Ph. Thomas - courtesy Benoît d’Aubert

les ready-made appartiennent à tout le monde
Übergänge, Kunstraum München, Eva Feltern, Ingvild Goetz, Stephan Goetz, Werner Lippert, Arend, Oetker, Alexandra Tacke, Josef Zander 1992
7 photographs cibachrome, 124 x 124 cm
Collection Fonds National d’Art Contemporain

readymades belong to everyone
Dépôt, 1992
20 boxes of float parket on paddle
Succession Ph. Thomas / MAMCO, Geneva

i ready made appartengono a tutti
1992, 1992
planning board and serigraph texts, 87 x 125 cm

Daniella Betta
Brescia 92", 1992
4 office chairs, coat and badge, 60 x 50 x200 cm
Collection galerie Massimo Minini, Brescia

Bruna Girodengo
Studio per targhetta n° 9, 1992
Drawing table, reprographic films,
100 x 150 x 75 cm
Collection La Gaia, Cuneo

Giancarlo Politi
Credito, 1992
Roll-shutter cabinet

Tullio Leggeri
Natura morta e modernita, 1992
Table and bureau’s objects, graphic model
Collection Tullio Leggeri, Bergamo

Alain Clairet
By the same token, 1992
Oak parket, label
Collection FRAC Pays de Loire

readymades belong to everyone ®
1993, 1993
Planning board, serigraph texts
Succession Ph. Thomas, Courtesy Benoît d’Aubert

readymades belong to everyone
Thinking of… 1993
Colour photography, 127,5 x 158 cm + label
Private collection / MAMCO, Geneva

La collection de Georges Venzano, 1993
48 b/w framed photographs
Collection MAMCO, Geneva

readymades belong to everyone ®
l’agence, 1993
Postcards, posters Chiat/Day/Mojo, cardboard boxes, printed self-adhesive tape, printed kraft paper, paddle, metal shelf, variable dimension
Collection MAMCO, Geneva

Le Mobilier national avec le concours des ready-made appartiennent à tout le monde ®
Objet de collection, 1994
Metal, wood, 40 postcards
Collection du Mobilier National et Collection du Fonds National d’Art Contemporain

Ilmari Kalkkinen avec le concours des readymades belong to everyone
1995, 1995
6 colour photographs, 50 x 60 cm each
Collection MAMCO, Geneva