The art of SEBASTIEN de GANAY (*1962 Boulogne-Billancourt) sparks an unruly desire to get to the bottom of things and to take a look behind seemingly familiar scenes. Geometric fundamental structures whose formal restraint references minimal art, merge with everyday objects illustrating the artist's playful impetus.

The works of SEBASTIEN de GANAY are not only of high aesthetic value, but are also instruments of realisation. The artist wants the viewer to mentally experiment with well-known objects: the exhibition's title FLIP FLOP FLUX implies an alleged, haptic fexibility in the works and primarily refers to the Folded Flat series. Square, folded Post-its are the basis of these artworks: transferred onto a large scale and manufactured from aluminium, they meet the observer either in an obvious or, when facing the wall (XL Folded Flat Light Red 01) concealed manner. The blue, red, chestnut-coloured and yellow lacquered Folded Flats ignite a thought process of unfoldment. The artist shares his understanding of the work process that has led to the works' emergence.

The second group of works shown in our exhibition, titled Wall Pallets were, just as the Folded Flats, created within the last couple of months in the artist's studio in Bad Deutsch-Altenburg near Vienna. Pallets are released of their functionality as SEBASTIEN de GANAY transforms them into pieces of art. Sheets of acrylic glass are used as a connector between pallets that hang upon the wall. They allow a view onto a blank space, where one would usually expect wooden struts (Wall Pallets 2 - 4). In Mirror Wall Pallets, highly artifcial front surface mirrors replace the acrylic planes. The viewer is being incorporated into the work and becomes an accomplice in a game of deception, closer examination of functionality and perceptual processes (Mirror Wall Pallet 1 – 2).

sebastien de ganay