Manifesta purposely strives to keep its distance from what are often seen as the dominant centres of artistic production, instead seeking fresh and fertile terrain for the mapping of a new cultural topography.
Participant
Guillaume Bijl, BE
Guillaume Bijl, Dog Salon Bobby, 2016 © Manifesta 11 / Wolfgang Traeger.
The Belgian artist Guillaume Bijl transformed a gallery, Grieder Contemporary, into a dog salon together with dog stylist Jacqueline Meier. This work is part of the artist’sTransformation installations series which he began in the 1970s, when he issued a manifesto calling for the abolition of art centres. Since then, he has transformed many galleries into utilitarian spaces such as a casino or a hospital, offering “socially relevant” services.