Fabian Stech

The musée Guimet in Paris has a new director since 2008, Jacques Giès. In january 2009 he announced at a press conference that a contemporary programmation would take place inside the permanent collection. (It was first introduced by Serge Lemoine some years ago with specially produced artworks at the musée d’Orsay) Until the 15th November one can see the pakistanian artist Rashid Rana and until the 13th December Chen Zhen. Much of Rashid Rana works are on pixelation of photography which he declines in different cultural and art historical purposes. But it is his sculpture at the first floor which fits the best in the permanent exhibition and in the abstract impact of the stone sculptures. The concept to incorporate contemporary art works for Rashid Rana but not for Chen Zhen. Even if he is one of the most important chinese artists it is not sufficient to borrow some art works from the CNAP to make it a coherent exhibition. Only „round table“ from 1995 has find his definite space. The idea to draw the contemporary public from the three steps away Palais de Tokyo and Museum of Modern Art, to the magnificiant collection and space of the musée Guimet is efficient, but has to be improved. But by the way, you can discover prodigious little things which perhaps you’ll have to reclassify as contemporary like this part of a khadvanga.