La Fondation du Doute

How can you not love a building that looks like this? Something completely different from the expected chateaux, cathedrals, and famous monuments. When you walk into the courtyard, a “red carpet” greets you, taking you to the front entrance and a multitude of intriguing signs.

The yellow sign at the top reads: “To create is to doubt and to doubt is to create.”

Honestly, it was challenging to decide which sections and which placards to photograph. There was something in every grouping that intrigued, amused, or provoked thought. Here is a sampling.

 

The philosophy behind La Fondation du Doute: Everything is art; nothing is art. The exhibition I viewed is centered around “the limits of truth” proposed by French artist Ben Vautier, known for his text-based paintings. An interactive exhibit engaged viewers to contribute to a wall-sized display. Clippings, photos, tape, string, and scissors were available as the creative tools.

The exhibitions were as unique and unexpected as one might think. One wall held “petrified” place settings of leftovers glued to  tablecloths. These leftovers looked to be several decades old and were decaying. Quite unappetizing. My favorite exhibit featured car doors with motorized hammers. When you entered the room, the hammers activated and began banging against the metal doors. The hammers hit randomly rather than simultaneously, which felt musical to me.

Here’s another exhibition I found interesting.