Sokrates

This space, inspired by the 16th century Kunst und Wunder kammer or Cabinets of Curiosities, is arranged according to Einstein's equation, which defines the relationship between space - time and the experience one feels entering and looking up at the natural sky and then the artificial created by the curtain of Swarovski crystals, and the works of art that are between the two elements, illustrating the juxtaposition of different cultures and historical periods.

Within this space we seek to explore the affinities of pre-Columbian, African, Nepalese and Himalayan artistic traditions with contemporary art. The ethnographic pieces establish a dialogue with contemporary works, following the line of exhibitions such as Primitivism in the 20th Century Art, at the MoMA museum in New York in 1984 (curated by William Rubin) and Les Magiciens de la Terre (curated by Jean- Hubert Martin at the Pompidou Center and La Villette in Paris, in 1989).

Swarovski Crystal Curtain, of 10,000 crystals, donated to the museum, by the Swarovski company, in 2007.

Complete fossilized skeleton of a Siberian Woolly Rhinoceros (Cleodonta Antiquitatis) dated to the Riss-Würm interglacial period of the Late Pleistocene. Between 125,000 and 10,000 years old.

The sculpture "The Kiss of Death" was created by the German artist Rebecca Horn (Michelstadt, March 24, 1944), in 1992.

Dimensions: 4x40x22cm

“Shield”, in lacquered resin, 1994, Ben Jakober / Yannick Vu. This sculpture was part of the exhibition "Chthonian Apollonian" with the theme of the feminine-masculine duality, at the Pelaires Cultural Center in 1994.

Shield of Papua New Guinea, dating from the 20th century, 114cm high and 48cm wide.

Shield of Congo, dating from the 20th century, 103 cm high and 40 cm wide.

Light installation “Juke Blue”, 1968, by James Turrell, (Los Angeles, 1943)

“My work has no object, no image, no focus. Without object, image, or focus, what are you looking at? You are looking at the act of looking. What matters to me is fostering an experience of thought without words.”

-James Turrell

"Schmetterling“ (Butterfly), flaps its wings as soon as we approach the display case being triggered by a motion detector.

The installation has been created by the German visual artist Rebecca Horn (Michelstadt, March 24, 1944), in 1995.

Dimensions: 7.5 x 26 x 12cm

“The Nomad” 1983, is the work of the German Gerhard Merz. This photograph was part of the "Mondo Cane" exhibition whose theme was the disappearance of civilizations such as the Tuareg represented in this work. It is a photosensitive projection on canvas with a steel, copper and titanium frame, designed by the artist.

Zulu hat, 20th century, woven with human hair and covered in natural red pigment.

The Prophecy, 2013, by Fabrice Monteiro, “Canson Infinity Platine Fiber Rag 310 g”, issue N° 2/10 + 2 AP, signed, titled and numbered on the label, 40 x 60 cm (without frame), 53.5 x 74 x 4 cm (with frame).

This is an image featured in the haunted photo series The Prophecy, by this photographer who works with Doulsy, a Senegalese stylist who uses the ocean and the waste of rampant consumerism. It's a terrifying vision of the future. According to writer Zahra Jamshed, “junk becomes couture and each model is based on one of the children or djinns of the Greek goddess, the earth mother Gaia, to deliver a message of warning to humans.”

The work “Homage to Erica Knie” 2011, Ben Jakober / Yannick Vu is a tribute to the work of the late artist and environmental activist Erica Knie (Dolores Vita). These modern utensils, made in Morocco with used tires, are reminiscent of the archaic forms of everyday ceramic objects.

This is a work by Inuit artist Shuvinai Ashoona (1961): Untitled, colored pencil on paper, 64.8 x 49.9 cm.

Shuvinai Ashoona received a special mention during the award ceremony and opening of the Venice Biennale 2022 at Ca' Giustinian. Ashoona's works are featured in The Milk of Dreams , as part of the 59th Venice Biennale International Exhibition. Shuvinai Ashoona, born 1961, in Cape Dorset, is an Inuit artist who draws inspiration from blockbuster movies and monstrous entities for her arctic landscape drawings. His Mapping Worlds exhibition departs from what can be considered traditional and pushes the boundaries of Inuit art in a global context of contemporary art.

“Arborescent Fougère”, a 210cm 20th century sculpture carved from a fern (Cyathea) root by the natives of the Pacific island of Ambryn, Vanuatu, used for complex rituals of great power, wisdom and initiation . It is a sculpture symbol of the high social status of its owners, as well as being related to the spirit of their ancestors.

The transcendental work “CO2”, 2007, was created by the German-born artist Dolores Vita - aka Erica Knie (Como, 1948 - Mallorca, 2010). A triptych made with coal dust on canvas. This artist worked on ecological issues related to climate change on the planet.

Detachable statue of a Christ - figure carved in wood by artisans in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, former Zaire, dating from the mid-20th century.

Ubanga Nyama Lengola figure - detachable wooden statue, dating from the mid-20th century and created by artisans from the

Democratic Republic of Congo.

Origin: Burkina Faso

Origin: Burkina Faso

A koteka is a unique fetish accessory made from a dried, hollowed-out gourd. It is worn in Irian Jaya (the Indonesian-administered western part of New Guinea) by men of the Dani, Lani, Mee, 'nggem, Yali, Papua, Walaak (and other) tribes on the phallus which is held upright on a strap. It is often worn alone, but sometimes in combination with feathered headdresses, vine-wrapped chest hoops, beads, feathers, dung and mud headdresses, and nose rings and/or pig bone or tusk ear muffs. There are several types of kotekas because, depending on their use (hunting, dance, mundane situations, etc.), they vary in shape and dimensions. The shape and, above all, the size of the object do not serve as a social marker nor do they support a relationship with the rank of the wearer. The koteka serves as protection against the entry of evil spirits and its shape and size distinguishes some tribes from others. It is also used to store all kinds of things, such as food and even tobacco.

Ethnic group: Fon tribe from Togo, Benin

Provenance: Tonga Islands

The work was created by the artistic couple Ben Jakober and Yannick Vu, in 2019, in homage to Michelangelo Pistoletto

Dimensions: 210 x 80 cm

Photograph taken by German-born Australian photographer Helmut Newton (1920-2004) of a scene from Pina Bauch's Ballet: Die Keuschheitslegende (The Legend of Virginity), Wuppertal, 1983.

Sculpture of a female figure, carved in wood, dating from the 20th century, from the Sepik Middle, Papua New Guinea, Oceania, whose function was as a post for a ceremonial house, measuring 248cm.

Sculpture of a male figure, carved in wood, dating from the 20th century, from Kambaraman, Papua New Guinea, Oceania, whose function was as a post for a ceremonial house, measuring 387 x 43 x 37 cm.

 of the totemic beings of the town.

Horseman and Horse, Polychrome terracotta, 206 BC–AD 220, China, Han dynasty, 30 x 32 x 9 cm, 24 x 7 x 7 cm.

The Han dynasty practiced a policy of great works, just like the Qin dynasty, developing a centralized and powerful empire that extended its borders throughout Central Asia and through embassies, opening routes to Central Asia, including Ili and the Fergana Valley. , they obtained the famous horses “capable of covering a thousand miles in a day”.

This Dan - Sick mask (Sick Mask), comes from the Ivory Coast and dates from the mid-20th century, being carved in wood and polychrome and measuring 26 x 15 x 8 cm.

Fon voodoo fetish, of Fon ethnicity - Togo, attributed to it for more than 50 years, being collected in 2019, made of wood and rope and measuring 51 cm.

Buddha seated in the lotus position , from China, made of bronze with a golden patina, dating from the 18th century, measuring 21 x 15 x 8 cm.

Homage to Domenico Gnoli, Ben Jakober, 1986 (patinated polystyrene and polyester, 52 x 85 x 53 cm).

This work by Ben Jakober is a tribute to his friend Domenico Gnoli, whose drawing " Snail on the sofa", from the 1967 series, can be seen in the Domenico Gnoli room.

"What is a monster?" for which Robert Graves , a poet and friend of Gnoli's, wrote a text for publication in Horizon magazine. They are the domestic monsters that populate our daily imagination. The bronze version of this piece can be found in the Sculpture Park.

The mysterious Narwahl sea unicorn (Monodon monoceros), a toothed cetacean that inhabits arctic seas. The males of this species are characterized by having a very long helical tusk that can reach more than two meters in length and weigh up to ten kilograms. It is believed that this specialized tooth may be a sensory receptor or a secondary sexual character. This species has been protected since 1972. The Inuit of the Arctic in northern Canada are the only people authorized to legally capture these animals for food and to sell the tusks they do not keep for their crafts. The example shown here has been legally caught and has the CITES certificate and the corresponding import license. This piece is 232 cm long with very regular spirals. It is the original piece of the animal.

It is a specimen fished by the Inuit from the north of Arctic Canada, 21st century, ivory, 232 cm.

Einstein's Equation, by Ben Jakober and Yannick Vu, cobalt blue neon, 64 x 396 cm.

It is the formula that defines the space-time relationship of the entire room. The theme of the Sokrates room revolves around this installation inspired by Einstein's formula that defines the relationship between space and time. The Sokrates room forces us to rethink the concept of the traditional museum, introducing us to other ways of presenting art and the interrelationship of space and time. Here we find a museum presentation centered on the concept of linear form art that strives to create spatio-temporal links and connections. This is a space where works from very distant places and times coexist with each other, but in a very particular way, generating a dialogue and developing a discourse based on complementarities and totalities. The ethnographic pieces interact with contemporary works following the concept of the exhibition Primitivism in 20th Century Art , produced by MOMA in New York in 1984, curated by William Rubin and the exhibition Les Magiciens de La Terre by Jean-Hubert Martin, at the Center Pompidou and La Villette in Paris in 1989.

Medusa Head, 2017, by Moroccan artist Noureddine Amir, sculpture made of metal wool and paint, 186 x 70 cm.

Born in 1967 in Rabat, Noureddine Amir lives and works in Marrakech. Graduated from Esmod in 1996, his first years of creation are marked by his collaboration with the Iranian artist Shirin Neshat for whom he created many costumes. Starting in 2001, Noureddine Amir dedicated himself above all to the Moroccan caftan, where he distinguished himself by presenting a very remarkable collection called Haik. Since 2003, his creations have been exhibited at the Antwerp Fashion Museum (MoMu), the Lille Museum of Fine Arts since 2004. He was one of the designers to show his creations at the Contemporary Morocco exhibition at the Arab World Institute in Paris, 2014–2015. The first exhibition in France dedicated entirely to him took place at the Pierre Bergé YSL Foundation in Paris, in 2016, and at the Musée Yves Saint Laurent Marrakesh in 2018.