Press Release

D2 – Art Infiltration in the Communal Space of Reignier

Event : 19th April – 18th May 2008
Opening : Friday 18th May from 7pm

D2 is a contemporary art festival which is both an event and a research experiment on art in the communal space. The festival will open on the 19th April in Reignier, Haute-Savoie, and takes the notion of the ‘annex town’ as its point of departure. The project itself is named after the departmental motorway that passes through the centre of Reignier. This vital artery has played a fundamental role in shaping the community socially, economically and geographically over recent years.

Like many other ‘annex towns’, Reignier has evolved from its original identity as a farming community to become a rurban zone in a state of constant evolution. This development can largely be attributed to its economic and social dependence on neighbouring cities, such as Annemasse, Annecy and Geneva.

A selection of international contemporary artists have been invited to create in-situ projects in the communal space of Reignier :

Invited artists :
Sandy Avignon & Mathieu Loridan, Reignier
Alain Bublex, Lyon
Diana Chaumontet, Bruxelles
Renaud Codron, Ambilly
Chrisrophe d'Hallivillée & Christine Spianti, Aubervillier
San Keller, Zurich
Sophie Dejode + Bertrand Lacombe, Berlin
Judy van Luyk, Genève
Luc Mattenberger, Genève
Microsillons, Genève
Séverine Verdan, Grenoble


Unlike the traditional notion of the exhibition – in which objects are put on show - the projects in D2 are designed to infiltrate – or penetrate – the daily life of the community.

The works dialogue and play with the codes inherent in the community space, thus generating micro-situations or unexpected encounters for passers-by. In her project, ‘Régnons’ (We Reign), the French artist Diana Chaumontet appropriates the language of road signs to question the relationship of power between the individual and the municipality. Renaud Codron places banners in selected sites around Reignier which play on the visual language used by bill board advertisements. Instead of imposing a fixed message, the spectator is free to make his own interpretation.

The festival will also be punctuated by micro-events, performances and actions in the communal space. Certain events have a fixed date, such as Séverine Verdan’s ‘Celebration’ (25th April) or her ‘Speed Debating’ (17th May) at the end of the festival. Others are more unpredictable; the Swiss artist, San Keller will spend his ‘holidays’ in Reignier from the 18th to 22nd April; the Geneva duo, Microsillons, will carry out their enquiry into the mysterious statue dedicated to ‘Laughter’ which supposedly exists in Reignier.

The festival is both an event and a research laboratory on the functions and possibilities of art in the communal space. A publication will be released in December 2008 bringing together texts and documents from the D2 festival and invited contributors.


Event : 19th April – 18th May 2008
Opening : Friday 18th May from 7pm, at the church square
Official Speeches in the presence of the Mayor of Reignier, 7.30pm
Live performance: ‘Car Ballet’, by Dejode & Lacombre, around 9pm
Music by DJ Nanuk from 9pm onwards

Don’t Miss
Performances and actions taking place during D2
• San Keller’s ‘Holidays’ – 18th – 22nd April
• Activation of the Microsillons Enquiry – throughout the festival
• ‘Firework’ and ‘Speed Debating’ by Séverine Verdan – 25th April and 18th May respectively
• ‘Car Ballet’ by Dejode & Lacombe – opening night, 18th April, 9pm, Church Square

Contacts :
d2.reignier@gmail.com
www.d2reignier.blogspot.com
Association LAPS :Séverine Verdan, Judy Van Luyck
Guest Curator : Katie Kennedy

“D2 is intended to exist outside of the institutional art circuit. It is an autonomous project constructed around a temporary zone of experiment where artistic gestures and actions will dialogue together during one month around the theme of the urbanisation of a specific ‘annex town’. Perturbations and the unexpected are its leitmotif.”