Project

This research network was established in 2010 on the following basis: the practise of painting and its historical and theoretical developments today require a mutualisation of potentialities and a research policy of which artists, art critics and art students in schools are natural vectors. Initiated by five organisations: the ESAD Grenoble-Valence, the EESAB Rennes, the ENSA Bourges, the ENSA Dijon and the University of Rennes-2, this project has been reinforced by the support of another research network called Paint Club, already set up in London at the heart of the University of the Arts and a constant partner in our projects. In September 2012 four art schools joined the research network, the Institut Supérieur des Arts of Toulouse, the ESADHaR Rouen-Le Havre and the École Européenne Supérieure de l'Image, Angoulême-Poitiers. In 2014, two new organisations came to enrich the collaboration: La Terrasse, Espace d'art de Paris-Nanterre and the École d'architecture of Versailles (Énsa-V) This dynamic displays a singularity and an openness that deserves to be highlighted: this research is one that federates. Instead of isolating itself in smaller research units, which is, in general, what can often be seen today. The Réseau Peinture brings together and confronts the diversity at play, thus offering to students, to teachers and to artists, numerous possibilities for circulation and entry into the network.

Another aspect must be kept in mind, that of the strongly structuring role that the Minister of Culture's call for projects played, a call that we answered successfully in March of 2010 and then again in 2014. The first page of this response indicates: “This research takes the current situation into account: the existence of a very dynamic criticism and debate in the field of painting of which the main bases are to be found in Europe and the United States. The reality is that France, in recent decades, has not been the most active in this debate around painting, as much in terms of events as in production and critical engagement. This research then, also has the goal of clearly entering the debate and engaging with these international exchanges that are today ardently desired by numerous artists working in France and abroad.” The international dimension of these projects that we are driving is a necessity, in terms of experiences, exchanges and critical thinking: it finds itself spontaneously enhanced by the international connections already at work in each school, and so Toulouse along with Mayence and Coblentz have opened a new connection with Germany, or even a study trip to New York made in 2012 by the EESAB and the ESAD GV. As one of the initial themes of this research had the title of “Local, global, the territories of painting”, it is important to remember that we have an approach to painting that doesn't stop at the borders of Europe and the western world in general: this direction for the project will occur in one of the ulterior and consolidated phases

“Painting at the moment of the post-medium – Scenes of paintings”, 2014-15-16

In June of 2014 the Minister of Culture (DGCA) officially provided his support to the Réseau Peinture research line. This financial backing for the two years, 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 followed the presentation of an application in January 2014 entitled “Painting in the time of the post-medium – Scenes of paintings”. In this new phase of research backed by the Réseau Peinture, the idea was to question what painting does today in the era of the post-medium, actively participating in the complex weaving of contemporary creation, offering clearly identifiable answers in an ever increasing diversity that is less and less structured by what were formerly currents and movements.

Members of the research team :

Olivier Gourvil, fondateur et membre du Réseau Peinture

Edouard Prulhière, responsable du projet, ESADHaR, Le Havre-Rouen

Jérôme Boutterin, Ecole Nationale Supérieure d'Architecture de Versailles

Dominique Abensour, François Perrodin, ESEAB Rennes

Christophe Viart, EESAB Rennes, Université de Paris 1

Eric Corne, Didier Mencoboni, ENSA Bourges

Stéphane Doré, TALM, site Angers

Bruno Rousselot, ENSA Dijon

Hervé Sénant, ISDAT, Institut Supérieur des Arts, Toulouse

Katharina Schmidt, ESADMM Marseille

Miguel Angel Molina, ESADHaR, Le Havre-Rouen