--- title: "Pre Natal Phase" description: "The Pre-natal phase: Arthur Fouray's aim to move art into more progressive territories, after McLuhan's The Medium is the Massage and O'Doherty." canonical: https://arthurfouray.systems/pre-natal-phase type: CreativeWork year: 2013 updated: "2026-09-26T22:46:58+00:00" image: https://freight.cargo.site/w/2250/h/1500/q/75/i/A1333931447549599097269025506731/Arthur-Fouray-Pre-Natal-63-1.png license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ --- # Pre Natal Phase Pre Natal Phase Pre-natal During the phase coined as ‘Pre-natal’ and then ‘Baby’, a clear aspiration emerged: to transform artistic practices into more progressive territories, transcending traditional realms of ‘contemporaryart,’ trying to shift to the historical notion of avant-garde and trying to understand what avant-garde could mean in the 20th century. A foundational element of this artistic endeavour was not merely craftsmanship but an emphasis on reflexive practices. Both digital media and traditional exhibition spaces, like the ‘white cube’, emerged as critical platforms. Such considerations can be traced back to the ideas espoused in ‘The Medium is the Massage’ by Marshall McLuhan and ‘White Cube’ by Brian O’ Doherty, underscoring the significance of the context where art is showcased. Artistically, the focus leaned towards installations. In isolation, individual artworks might be perceived as singular ‘words’, but they form compelling ‘sentences’ or narratives when grouped or curated together. There was a profound inclination to challenge the boundary between inertness and activation in objects, which could become riddles when juxtaposed with diverse elements. The arrangement of artworks could be envisioned as a form of film editing, sequencing interactions and editing the onlooker’s ‘dérive’ (drift) in a space. Artistic display apparatuses, such as explanatory panels and labels, became integral to this research. While it was acknowledged that textual and intellectual accompaniments are essential, they should not overshadow nor dictate one’s interpretation of an art piece. Each viewer should engage with art in a way that resonates with their personal history or emotional state, undistracted by supplementary texts or labels within the exhibition milieu. The focus shifted towards viewing art as an immersive experience only designed for the viewer. This delicate interplay between curation and art practice crystallised, drawing from a vast palette of mediums like text, installation, paint, video, music, and performance. Rather than thinking of exhibitions as static platforms of representation, the aim was to use as well as physical spaces and digital spaces to pulsate with life but also map all the different spaces involved in art making, such as the artist’s studio, the printed formats, or the curatorial formats. Studio > < Exhibition variable objects, variable dimensions 2013 Accident Painting resin, phosphorescent spray, cotton canvas, spruce 121 × 31 × 4 cm 2012 C. R. O. M. Group show with Paul Limoujoux and Nicolas Degrange Tour St. Jacques St. Émilion, France 2012 Une Histoire de Plage chair, latex, tarp, latex, tarp 130 × 80 × 35 cm 2012 L’une resin, oil bottle 20 x 20 x 60 cm 2012 Levier resin, bottle rack 60 x 40 x40 cm 2012 Mic/Not Working écal Renens, Switzerland 2011 1/2 Agnès Martin acrylic on canvas 76.4 x 76.4 x 2.5 cm 2012 Notes: The best conditions for this canvas to be fully appreciated are met when it is hung at eye level, and is more than one size away from the other pieces. CHROME Canvas on frame, spray-painted 2012 Notes: This canvas can be displayed vertically, or diagonally, depending on use. The white wall is a quality choice. Ok? Galerie Toroni écal Renens, Switzerland 2012 Dal(le) Erranc(e) 2 resin bricks 25.5 × 12.5 × 6 cm 2012 Notes: These two bricks must be presented side by side on the floor. The arrangement is left to the curator's discretion. PEPITO Resin and foam on sagex 25 x 25 x3 cm 2012 Notes: This sculpture must be presented on a wall, 175 cm from the floor. P.A.S. acrylic, cotton canvas, P.A.V. (book on printed canvas), MDF 54 × 29 × 3.5 cm 2012 Notes: This testimonial-sculpture is to be placed on the floor. Connection with the video "P.A.V." is not necessary. FAUX PLAFOND Rosette (white) on painted wall (blue) 125 × variable height x 2 cm 2012 Notes The rosette should appear on an azure/sea-blue background. The wall must be painted with scotch tape on the left and right, starting at the floor. The wall painting stops at the highest point the painter can reach. Paint is applied with a roller. FROMAGE Four layers of resin, yellow, orange, then 2x yellow, on object 25 × 70 × 15 cm 2012 Notes: This panoptical object should be placed intelligently on the floor. It can also play with "FROMAGE (BIS)". ## Images ![Accident Painting Resin, Phosphorescent Spray, Cotton Canvas, Spruce 121 × 31 × 4 Cm 2012 - Arthur Fouray Pre Natal](https://freight.cargo.site/w/2250/h/1500/q/75/i/A1333931447549599097269025506731/Arthur-Fouray-Pre-Natal-63-1.png) ![C. R. O. M. Group Show With Paul Limoujoux and Nicolas Degrange Tour St. Jacques St. Émilion, France 2012 - Arthur Fouray Pre Natal](https://freight.cargo.site/w/2250/h/1500/q/75/i/I1334751217406693607959154394539/Arthur-Fouray-Pre-Natal-3.png) ![C. R. O. M. Group Show With Paul Limoujoux and Nicolas Degrange Tour St. Jacques St. Émilion, France 2012 - Arthur Fouray Pre Natal](https://freight.cargo.site/w/2250/h/1500/q/75/i/C1333931446737942358025805235627/Arthur-Fouray-Pre-Natal-2-1.png) ![C. R. O. M. Group Show With Paul Limoujoux and Nicolas Degrange Tour St. Jacques St. Émilion, France 2012 - Arthur Fouray Pre Natal](https://freight.cargo.site/w/2250/h/1500/q/75/i/P1333931446719495613952095684011/Arthur-Fouray-Pre-Natal--1.png) ![C. R. O. M. Group Show With Paul Limoujoux and Nicolas Degrange Tour St. Jacques St. Émilion, France 2012 - Arthur Fouray Pre Natal](https://freight.cargo.site/w/2250/h/1500/q/75/i/Q1333931446996196775057738958251/Arthur-Fouray-Pre-Natal-20-1.png) ![Une Histoire De Plage Chair, Latex, Tarp, Latex, Tarp 130 × 80 × 35 Cm 2012 - Arthur Fouray Pre Natal](https://freight.cargo.site/w/2250/h/1500/q/75/i/M1333931447494258865047896851883/Arthur-Fouray-Pre-Natal-60-1.png) ![L’une Resin, Oil Bottle 20 X 20 X 60 Cm 2012 - Arthur Fouray Pre Natal](https://freight.cargo.site/w/2250/h/1500/q/75/i/V1333931447863193746522087884203/Arthur-Fouray-Pre-Natal-82-1.png) ![Levier Resin, Bottle Rack 60 X 40 X40 Cm 2012 - Arthur Fouray Pre Natal](https://freight.cargo.site/w/2250/h/1500/q/75/i/A1333931447475812120974187300267/Arthur-Fouray-Pre-Natal-59-1.png) ![Mic/not Working Écal Renens, Switzerland 2011 - Arthur Fouray Pre Natal](https://freight.cargo.site/w/2250/h/1500/q/75/i/U1333931447900087234669506987435/Arthur-Fouray-Pre-Natal-85-1.png) ![Mic/not Working Écal Renens, Switzerland 2011 - Arthur Fouray Pre Natal](https://freight.cargo.site/w/1500/h/2250/q/75/i/P1333931447918533978743216539051/Arthur-Fouray-Pre-Natal-89-1.png) ![1/2 Agnès Martin Acrylic on Canvas 76.4 X 76.4 X 2.5 Cm 2012 - Arthur Fouray Pre Natal](https://freight.cargo.site/w/2250/h/1500/q/75/i/F1333931447383578400605639542187/Arthur-Fouray-Pre-Natal-54-1.png) ![Chrome Canvas on Frame, Spray Painted 2012 - Arthur Fouray Pre Natal](https://freight.cargo.site/w/2250/h/1500/q/75/i/K1333931447438918632826768197035/Arthur-Fouray-Pre-Natal-57-1.png) ![Ok? Galerie Toroni Écal Renens, Switzerland 2012 - Arthur Fouray Pre Natal](https://freight.cargo.site/w/2250/h/1500/q/75/i/E1333931448195235139848859813291/Arthur-Fouray-Pre-Natal-109-1.png) ![Ok? Galerie Toroni Écal Renens, Switzerland 2012 - Arthur Fouray Pre Natal](https://freight.cargo.site/w/2250/h/1500/q/75/i/V1333931448213681883922569364907/Arthur-Fouray-Pre-Natal-110-1.png) ![Dal(le) Erranc(e) 2 Resin Bricks 25.5 × 12.5 × 6 Cm 2012 - Arthur Fouray Pre Natal](https://freight.cargo.site/w/2250/h/1500/q/75/i/Q1333931447125323983573705819563/Arthur-Fouray-Pre-Natal-40-1.png) ![Pepito Resin and Foam on Sagex 25 X 25 X3 Cm 2012 - Arthur Fouray Pre Natal](https://freight.cargo.site/w/2250/h/1500/q/75/i/C1333931447106877239499996267947/Arthur-Fouray-Pre-Natal-38-1.png) ![P.a.s. Acrylic, Cotton Canvas, P.a.v. (book on Printed Canvas), Mdf 54 × 29 × 3.5 Cm 2012 - Arthur Fouray Pre Natal](https://freight.cargo.site/w/2250/h/1500/q/75/i/D1333931447162217471721124922795/Arthur-Fouray-Pre-Natal-42-1.png) ![Faux Plafond Rosette (white) on Painted Wall (blue) 125 × Variable Height X 2 Cm 2012 - Arthur Fouray Pre Natal](https://freight.cargo.site/w/2250/h/1500/q/75/i/U1333931448232128627996278916523/Arthur-Fouray-Pre-Natal-111-1.png) ![Faux Plafond Rosette (white) on Painted Wall (blue) 125 × Variable Height X 2 Cm 2012 - Arthur Fouray Pre Natal](https://freight.cargo.site/w/2250/h/1500/q/75/i/J1333931447143770727647415371179/Arthur-Fouray-Pre-Natal-41-1.png) ![Fromage Four Layers of Resin, Yellow, Orange, Then 2x Yellow, on Object 25 × 70 × 15 Cm 2012 - Arthur Fouray Pre Natal](https://freight.cargo.site/w/2250/h/1500/q/75/i/T1333931448084554675406602503595/Arthur-Fouray-Pre-Natal-103-1.png) ## Related pages - [P+ N](https://arthurfouray.systems/pplus-n) ## Structured data ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "@id": "https://arthurfouray.systems/pre-natal-phase#breadcrumb", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Arthur Fouray Systems", "item": "https://arthurfouray.systems/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Pre-Natal", "item": "https://arthurfouray.systems/pre-natal" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Pre Natal Phase", "item": "https://arthurfouray.systems/pre-natal-phase" } ] }, { "@type": "CreativeWork", "@id": "https://arthurfouray.systems/pre-natal-phase#webpage", "url": "https://arthurfouray.systems/pre-natal-phase", "name": "Pre Natal Phase", "description": "The Pre-natal phase: Arthur Fouray's aim to move art into more progressive territories, after McLuhan's The Medium is the Massage and O'Doherty.", "inLanguage": "en", "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://arthurfouray.systems/#website" }, "breadcrumb": { "@id": "https://arthurfouray.systems/pre-natal-phase#breadcrumb" }, "primaryImageOfPage": { "@id": "https://arthurfouray.systems/pre-natal-phase#image" }, "creator": { "@id": "https://arthurfouray.systems/#arthur-fouray" }, "license": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/", "dateCreated": "2013" }, { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://arthurfouray.systems/pre-natal-phase#image", "contentUrl": "https://freight.cargo.site/w/2250/h/1500/q/75/i/A1333931447549599097269025506731/Arthur-Fouray-Pre-Natal-63-1.png", "url": "https://freight.cargo.site/w/2250/h/1500/q/75/i/A1333931447549599097269025506731/Arthur-Fouray-Pre-Natal-63-1.png" } ] } ```