{"id":3905,"date":"2025-03-15T13:20:07","date_gmt":"2025-03-15T13:20:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fondationvalmont.com\/?post_type=exhibitions&p=3905"},"modified":"2026-02-05T11:47:36","modified_gmt":"2026-02-05T11:47:36","slug":"telemachus","status":"publish","type":"exhibitions","link":"https:\/\/fondationvalmont.com\/it\/exhibitions\/telemachus\/","title":{"rendered":"Telemachus. The Quest for Self"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

TELEMACHUS. The Quest for Self marks the second chapter of a trilogy of contemporary art exhibitions inspired by Homer\u2019s Odyssey. This chapter delves into the character of Telemachus, exploring the father-son relationship from the perspectives of both Telemachus and Ulysses.  Featuring four artists \u2014 Jakub Flej\u0161ar, Pavel Rou\u010dka, Maxence Guillon, and Didier Guillon \u2014 the exhibition presents a deeply personal and intergenerational dialogue, reflecting the relationship between father and son through two distinct pairs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

EMANCIPATION, UPHEAVAL, INTROSPECTION, HERITAGE<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The exhibition weaves together themes of self-discovery, legacy, and transformation as Telemachus embarks on his journey to find his father and uncover his own identity. The works engage in a dialogue between the mythical past and the present, exploring how familial bonds shape the way we understand ourselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first adjective that comes to mind to describe TELEMACHUS. The Quest for Self is monumental. The rooms at Palazzo Bonvicini are filled to the very last centimeter with powerful yet intimate installations, mesmerizing visitors on their journey of discovery. Each artist loudly affirms their presence through sculptures, paintings and installations that will undoubtedly leave a lasting impression. Indeed, the exhibition narrates the father-son relationship \u2013 with all its fragilities, complexities, complicities, and synergies \u2013 in a manner that is monumental and introspective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With Flej\u0161ar and Rou\u010dka, the rooms merge with one another, reflecting an intrinsic and indispensable personal and artistic relationship. The boundaries blur, with the artists\u2019 identities clearly defined yet in tension with each other. The focus shifts inward with the Guillon, prompting the artists to contemplate both what they have become and what they are becoming, with their gaze directed towards both the past and the future of generations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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COMPLICITY<\/p>\n\n\n

Jakub Flej\u0161ar<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

For the first time at Palazzo Bonvicini, rooms are metaphorically and physically intertwined to represent Jakub Flej\u0161ar\u2019s and Pavel Rou\u010dka\u2019s profound familial bond from a 360-degree perspective. Flej\u0161ar synthesizes this bond by placing a steel sculpture between his room and Rou\u010dka\u2019s\u2009: a seated man, the artist himself, viscerally penetrates the space. This arrangement allows the visitor to discover, in Room 1, just a part of the whole. In the middle of the room, a large human figure is crouched down, gazing at the seated man, seemingly burdened by an inheritance too heavy to bear.<\/p>\n\n\n

The sculptures are portraits of the artist at different stages of his life\u2009: before and after mastering the ability to maintain his complicity with Rou\u010dka without slipping into dependency. Complicity is a key concept in the Odyssey after all, as Telemachus plays a pivotal role in Ulysses\u2019 attempt to reclaim power in Ithaca.<\/p>\n

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CHAMP DE BATAILLE<\/p>\n\n\n

Pavel Rou\u010dka<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

Champ de Bataille unfolds as a moment of confrontation\u2009: Flej\u0161ar\u2019s seated man, situated between the two rooms, deliberately turns his back on his stepfather\u2019s paintings, preparing to make a bold decision. Though he understands his paternal figure\u2019s work, he is finally ready to forge his own path.
At the centre of Room 2, two large paintings depict the key figures in Ithaca\u2009: Penelope, still and silent in the front like an observing matriarch\u2009; Telemachus with Ulysses in the back, merging into a single entity \u2013 coinciding, sublimated, almost indistinguishable. This fusion raises a striking question\u2009: can the son ever truly break free, or is he destined to carry his father\u2019s legacy forever\u2009? This duality is at the heart of Champ de Bataille \u2013 a revolutionary battlefield in transformation.<\/p>\n

Flanking this central vision, a series of scenes unfold like a protective embrace in Room 2. Telemachus appears in different stages of his journey \u2013 fighting, questioning himself, and ultimately triumphing. Father and son cannot stand as rivals but as figures entwined in the same struggle, navigating the fine line between lineage and self-determination.<\/p>\n\n\n

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THE VIRTUOUS CIRCLE<\/p>\n\n\n

Maxence Guillon<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

In Room 3 Maxence Guillon\u2019s installation The Virtuous Circle explores his journey as both a man and a son, following in the footsteps of his father, Didier Guillon. This path is initially represented by a red carpet, symbolizing the invisible presence of the artist, guided and protected by his father. As the carpet turns to a brownish tone, the scene shifts to a contemporary arena, where a multimedia installation replaces the physical presence of ancient Roman spectators. In front of the towering arena, a classic-style sculpture with Maxence\u2019s features performs like a gladiator.
The digital presence of Didier Guillon silently judges his son\u2019s performance \u2014 eternally watching from his ever-present\/absent televised form. If Didier Guillon replaces the physical spectators of ancient Rome, actual visitors are invited to sit in front of Maxence on a special seat, taking on the role of his father. Maxence\u2019s journey, such as Telemachus\u2019 journey, mirrors the universal human experience of navigating an adventure made possible only through the awareness of his father\u2019s heritage.<\/p>\n\n\n

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EN DESSOUS DES R\u00caVES<\/p>\n\n\n

Didier Guillon<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

For Room 4, Didier Guillon has chosen to present two anatomical drawings of his great-great-grandfather, Alphonse Lami, printed on towering, monolithic totems that stand as monumental echoes of the past. These sculptures anchor the works in the present, linking several generations across time. Above these totems, the word dream glows in luminous, incandescent letters, translated into ten different languages. This universal term transcends linguistic and cultural barriers, embodying the shared human experience of aspiration and courage.
The installation En dessous des r\u00eaves invites us to reflect on the essential role of dreams in shaping our future. Without dreams, it becomes impossible to draw from the past the
heritage needed to navigate the present and, above all, to gaze towards the unknown horizon.
As the final room of the exhibition, this space closes the virtuous circle, inviting the viewer to reflect on how heritage shapes not only the past but also the future. Much like Telemachus\u2019 journey reaching its conclusion, this room serves as a culmination, uniting the themes of legacy, transformation, and self-discovery. It leaves the viewer with a sense of resolution and potential.<\/p>\n\n\n

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TELEMACHUS. THE QUEST FOR SELF<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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