Le Mur: La Collection Antoine de Galbert - review

Le Mur (The Wall) is an exhibition of contemporary artworks currently showing at La Maison Rouge. It celebrates the 10th anniversary of the art gallery, and presents the personal collection of Antoine de Galbert, who founded La Maison Rouge.

It is a random selection from his huge collection and hence is a mixture of various styles and artists. The most important factor in an exhibition like this is the individual taste of the private collector - and in this case, I can definitely say I like his taste. Moreover, the variety on display should ensure most will enjoy.

In addition to this, the exhibition also plays on a few interesting concepts.

Firstly, the arrangement has been determined using software, using a Monte Carlo method, which uses random values to produce a desired outcome. In this case the only input was the size of each piece, and then the works were randomly positioned to squeeze as many as possible into the available wall space. The result is an amazing display of art - hung floor to ceiling.

This is an attempt to remove the influence of a curator, who’s normal task would be to present a theme, a message, a narrative etc. In this case, the curator is neutral randomness.

Secondly, this approach means there is no space for labels, which forces the viewer to enjoy the art without any preconceptions based on the knowledge of the artist, title, or age of the work. If however, you do get curious, touchscreens have been set up in each room allowing viewers to identify and seek information on any works that catch their interest.

••  Runs 14 Jun - 21 Sep at La Maison Rouge (10 Boulevard de la Bastille, 75012 Paris). Open Wed to Sun, and open late on Thu.