Jacques Charlier

A Tribute to the Incoherent Anartists
Jules Lévy, Alphonse Allais and their cronies.

« If it is good to say nothing before speaking
it is even more useful to reflect before thinking.

Pierre Dac

In contemporary art, trends have resumed their course at the height of the waters. The post-Covid era has changed nothing in their method. The number of emerging artists is proportional to the number of their disappearances.

"It's art because we tell you so" remains the general motto, given the prices achieved in auction rooms. Curators of museums, fairs, biennials, and documentas have rehashed the glories of yesteryear to legitimize their protégés spotted on Instagram.

So-called "contemporary" art With the dominant theme having broken down, we end up taking refuge in a few rare provincial museums free from viral post-modernity. These have become the last refuges where dust and sleepy guards are as reassuring as what's on the walls.

Jacques Charlier, an admirer of incoherent figures such as Alphonse Allais or Jules Lévy and their colleagues, has decided to revisit their famous subtitled monochromes. These precious archives have been brought back into the spotlight since the discovery of the famous trunk. Drawing on the titles and respect for the words, he translated the main ones into painted images of his own.

The effect is not only burlesque, but thanks to this forced re-coherence, it highlights the dazzling premonition of these early anartists.

By celebrating them and fixing them in history, we risk relegating them to a position they would have refuted.

Taking their titles and applying them to the letter, it's a bit like ensuring their legacy.

It also reminds us that it was a wonderful collective adventure around Jules Lévy, bringing together hundreds of happy fellows eager for laughter and good nights out.

It also means admitting that their party extravagance was remorselessly plundered by Dadaists and monochromaticists of all stripes.

By confronting them with The relentless post-avant-garde, Charlier, as usual, will provoke some amusing topics of discussion.

In these times, it's always a good idea.

Raymond Vandersanden
Café La Palette, Paris