Martine Syms (1988) is a 2009 School of the Art Institute of Chicago and Bard College graduate. She is a Los Angeles-born contemporary, interdisciplinary artist of her generation whose apparent authenticity, and profound and honest soul-searching work have resonated across generational lines and built an international reputation for her powerful works of art.
Life Itself
Yoko Ono said, “My life is art and art is my life”
Martine Syms Total contemplates space and presence in a symphony of recollections of her previous 15 years of bringing her art to life as life brings art to her.
Martine Syms Total; first Retrospective in France, Lafayette Anticipations
As I see it
Who am I? I am consciousness as an experience—the totality of my past, present, and future. I am the totality of humankind’s eternal consciousness and infinite presence, past, present, and future, now. Martine wisely has melded entrepreneurship with art which, as she knows it, takes resources to be free to create art, i.e., live, thrive, create, and communicate through her experiences.
Martine Syms Total; first Retrospective in France, Lafayette Anticipations
This retrospective invites an exploration of the merger of art and commerce. The Anticipations Lafayette is the ideal 3-story layout following the Parisian attraction to the ‘Les Haussmann Grands Magasins.’ As Josh Potter noted in his review of London’s Sadie Coles HQ & Cork Street Galleries Presents: Ugly Plymouths – a Martine Syms Exhibit, “Martine’s use of the physical space, as well as her representation of the digital life and the analogue life, is fascinating. It is a brilliant counter to the traditional Cartesian model of the gallery space.” The works are presented in all the spaces of the foundation, offering a global and immersive vision of this artistic career.
Martine Syms Total; first Retrospective in France, Lafayette Anticipations
As visitors experience a three-story ‘stroll’ through Martine’s works since 2007, they can also acquire objects created in collaboration with various brands. The ‘Galleries Lafayette Anticipations’ cultural space has morphed into a concept store, where every visitor is invited to explore a total work of art, including art objects for sale. “The supermarket”, which becomes a work of art, invites wandering, looking through the “shelves” to discover notebooks, t-shirts with evocative messages or other objects dear to the artist. ‘Everything for sale,’- acculturation or choice? You are in a souvenir shop at very affordable prices.
Martine Syms Total; first Retrospective in France, Lafayette Anticipations
“Stay here, simply observe.”
Visual Arts
In the realm of visual arts, Syms delves into the exploration of consciousness and the state of humanity that often oscillates between emotional extremes of pain and delight. This continuum reflects the complexities of identity where artists and individuals wear their hearts on their sleeves, revealing personal truths and vulnerabilities. I jump here to the works of Marina Abramovic, who is a pivotal figure in this exploration. Her innovative and often provocative installation performances serve as a testament to the rawness of human emotion. And Syms does not quail. Experience transcends temporal boundaries and artists are non-linear thinkers in creation, but cyclical and intuitive in experiencers – a realm of all moments existing simultaneously.
Martine Syms Total; first Retrospective in France, Lafayette Anticipations
Look closely, parse, examine, delve, buy!
Syms reaches far into exposing her vulnerabilities, even showing up on the screens, well-acknowledging that the modern technological age has transformed how we express ourselves, and she examines important questions about free will and choice. She interweaves the cycles and depicts within her art the generations of inequities and atrocities of her people as Black people and as women. She infuses her deeply held values, exposing the importance of faith, strength, love, respect, and joy of family. She searches: are we, in this age, truly expressing our authenticity, or do we merely adapt to the acculturated or curated versions to protect ourselves from the pains of examining human consciousness?
Martine Syms Total; first Retrospective in France, Lafayette Anticipations
Go ahead, love yourself, and try something for size, colour, comfort, and style.
I think Syms, similarly to Abramovic, embodies the idea that vulnerability can be a powerful catalyst for dialogue about our shared humanity. By openly confronting our own experiences and emotions, we invite each other to be the artist of our lives. “I like sharing the pain,” says Abramovic. Sharing the pain and the joy fosters empathy and understanding, and underscores the therapeutic potential of shared experiences. This is an area explored, well-studied, and documented outcome of public sharing of art. “Thus, in doing so, we are moved into another level toward the ultimate goal of freedom; it is so incredibly important to be free.”
Martine Syms Total; first Retrospective in France, Lafayette Anticipations
Inspired and curious, I explored how I looked and felt with my visible holes in consciousness!
The Backstory
As usual, as in her previous works, she once again includes a nod to the influential book and film The Color Purple to denote her intention to participate in the presence of Black history and Black feminist history in all of her works.
Martine Syms Total; first Retrospective in France, Lafayette Anticipations
Martine Syms Total; first Retrospective in France, Lafayette Anticipations
Thanks to Culture Honey Editor Georgia Sanders and Senior contributor Josh Potter. I leave the comments and the links to reflect on the bits/pieces, minutes/days, moods/states, or notes/songs that crescendo within this symphony.
Martine Syms Total; first Retrospective in France, Lafayette Anticipations
https://www.culturehoney.com/projects-106-martine-syms-moma-nyc-2/; Georgia Sanders
https://www.culturehoney.com/people-of-note-artist-martine-syms/ ; Josh Potter
Martine Syms Total; first Retrospective in France, Lafayette Anticipations
Martine’s work is known for its ability to force a perspective change in the viewer – i.e. in Project 106, to change space to view the film physically.
Martine Syms Total; first Retrospective in France, Lafayette Anticipations
Ugly Plymouths, Josh Potter
Exhibited in London, it doesn’t require physical relocation but requires the viewer to choose their perspective if they want to experience what is happening around them fully. I’m told the three eight-minute films of Ugly Plymouths were shot on an iPhone and digitally translated to be playable on bigger screens. They don’t use tripods and stabilisers. They aren’t fancy.
Martine Syms Total; first Retrospective in France, Lafayette Anticipations
But they are true and honest. As an artist, Martine seeks to portray life. Her life and how she frames, edits, and publishes her work are important. Don’t expect Hollywood-level CGI, I’m saying. Life imitates art. Life is art.
Martine Syms Total; first Retrospective in France, Lafayette Anticipations
Josh Potter: “Martine pulls from various factors in her quest for artistic truth. The great migration, seeing the vast majority of America’s black population move from the South to the North in the mid-1900s, is one such inspiration, as is the blaxploitation film genre. Afrofuturism is another, much earlier inspiration – check out her Mundane Afrofuturist Manifesto from 2013 here.”
Martine Syms Total; first Retrospective in France, Lafayette Anticipations
Unfortunately, you can’t say you knew her before she was cool because she’s already cool. But at least you can get familiar with Martine Syms’ work as you watch her go from strength to strength.
Martine Syms Total; first Retrospective in France, Lafayette Anticipations
I am not an avid shopper by habit, but I can also enjoy it.
In closing, I understand how commerce, commercialism, and sales are important, and artists must be free to create. That aspect of the exposition did not draw me—except for photographic opportunities. I am simply a minimalist, as I live in small places. I think Martine, too, was in a “clear your clutter opportunity” and letting go of personal souvenirs and creating and selling products.
Martine Syms Total; first Retrospective in France, Lafayette Anticipations
This is how I feel in sensory shopping overload.
Martine Syms Total; first Retrospective in France, Lafayette Anticipations
Under surveillance, I would be a blur. Do not fret; this installation is for exposition only, with no recording.
You can get a sense of immersion in the space and among the works of commerce of Total Martine Syms. It truly is the works of living art /Art is Living.
Martine Syms Total; first Retrospective in France, Lafayette Anticipations
A pause at the café.
Martine Syms Total; first Retrospective in France, Lafayette Anticipations
Martine Syms Total; first Retrospective in France, Lafayette Anticipations
Pluto, Lafayette Anticipations. To return for a plate of something!
Martine Syms Total; first Retrospective in France, Lafayette Anticipations
Open-air workspace.
Martine Syms Total; first Retrospective in France, Lafayette Anticipations
Multi-choice space usage.
Martine Syms Total; first Retrospective in France, Lafayette Anticipations
A pass through the design resource centre and discover more items to shop.
Martine Syms Total; first Retrospective in France, Lafayette Anticipations
Lafayette Anticipations screenshot. Should you add it all, be assured you will find Total Martine Syms is greater than the sum of its parts. Entrance is free. The exposition runs through 9 February 2025; I definitely recommend it.
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