catalogue by Thierry Geoffroy exhibition at EMMA THOMAS GALLERIA text by Tijana Miskovic contact 1@colonel.dk www.colonel.dk

1. ULTRACONTEMPORARYARTWORKS BRAZIL
11/1 - 28/1 2016
Artworks by Thierry Geoffroy/COLONEL

2. This book presents ultracontemporary artworks produced by
Thierry Geoffroy /COLONEL in connection with his exhibition
at Galeria Emma Thomas in São Paulo – Brazil from 11/1 –
27/1 2016.All the artworks were created the same day as
they were exhibited, and most of them expressed about
emergencies.
The daily changing exhibition is an art format, whose essence
has already been formulated in Thierry Geoffroy /COLONEL’s
manifesto for moving exhibitions published in 1989. Since
then, the format has been realized as numerous exhibitions
and actions around the world as well as a spatial construction
EMERGENCY ROOM built in museums and art institutions
such as MOMA PS1.
The ultracontemporary way of working is a comment on con-
temporary not being sufficiently in time.There are a couple
of artworks illustrating this critique in the book. For example
CONTEMPORARY,ART STILL LIKES TO QUESTION THE CANVAS.
It is a toilet chair with one missing wheel on a white canvas.
The canvas and the painting are used as symbols for con-
temporary art not reflecting about the now but continuing
to question the canvas, the pigment, and the frame.We can
also see these reflections in works such as TOO LATE,WAW!
WORLD’S RICHEST PEOPLE NOW HAVE MORE WEALTH THAN
THE POOREST 3,6 BILLION COMBINED. IT IS UNFAIR, CAN
PAINT BE A PREVENTION OF DENGUE and IN ADVANCE OF
THE BROKEN ARM 28/1 2016.
Even though the production of artworks is being done fast,
Thierry Geoffroy /COLONEL’s work includes a great deal of

3. observation and investigation. He researches as much on the
streets as on Internet. His sources of information and inspi-
ration can be anything from articles in local newspapers over
information found on social media to opinions he extracts
from local people or experts.
Thierry Geoffroy /COLONEL’s artwork production is like
streaming expressions taking shape in different forms and
media. Some of the artworks are produced from objects
found, collected or purchased in São Paulo, while others are
made with materials already established in his repertoire,
such as white cotton fabric, cartons, and tents.
Thierry Geoffroy/ COLONEL has been using tents since 1991.
Tents can be both looked at as paintings and as sculptures.
The artist uses the sides of a tent as a canvas for painted
statements.After, each tent becomes a mobile sculptural
object. Some of Thierry Geoffroy/COLONEL’s previous tent
artworks have been exhibited in The Maldives Pavilion,
Venice Biennale, IT; The ZkM Museum, Karlsruhe, DE; Marta
Herford - Museum für moderne Kunst, Herford, DE; Kunsthal-
le Osnabrück, Osnabrück, DE. (among other places) The tents
are also in the collection of Museum of Contemporary Art,
Danmark as well as private collections in Paris, Copenhagen,
and São Paulo.
Cartons are a diary-like artworks consisting of drawing, text
and occasionally glued paper cutouts.They play a vital role
in Thierry Geoffroy /COLONEL’s creative process because they
capture the raw, unpolished artistic thought. Depending on
the moment, the state of mind of the artist and the surroun-
ding, the statements on the cartons can range from direct
and sharp to personal and doubtful, also including the con-
tradiction as part of authentic and honest communication.
Similar to the cartons and the tents, the banner-like artworks
with text on pieces of fabric are expressing artist’s statements
in the given circumstances, conditions and situations of the
moment. Often they are exhibited on the spot at interna-
tional events such as Manifesta, Cartagena/Murcia, ES or
Documenta, Kassel, DE.
Some of the important topics being commented during the
exhibition at Galeria Emma Thomas in São Paulo were: Zika
virus outbreak in Brazil, anti-refugee movements and laws
in Europe, demonstrations and police violence in São Paulo,
water problems in Brazil, chemical explosion in the industrial
port of Santos, Lava Jato operation in Brazil connected to
money laundering and corruption in the country, gentrificati-
on and real estate speculations in the time of crises in Brazil,
toxic mud from Brazilian dam disaster,The World Economic
Forum in in Davos and global climate change problems.
A selection of artworks in this book also includes poetic
reflections on the artistic process and subjects like the role of
the artist in the society, the notion of time, the routine versus
the ritual and the syntheses.
This exhibition was realized in collaboration with Juliana
Freire, Flaviana Bernardo and Daniel Marchezini from Galeria
Emma Thomas and developed thanks to Décio Hernandez Di
Giorgi.
Tijana Mišković, curator

4. Installation view at Galeria Emma Thomas, São Paulo - Brazil

5. CONTEMPORARYART STILL LIKES TO QUESTION THE CANVAS
18/1 2016, 90 x 60 x 95 cm, toilet chair with one missing wheel on a white canvas
IN ADVANCE OF THE BROKEN ARM 28/1 2016
28/1 2016, 60 x 50 cm, black marker text and electric mosquito racket on canvas

6. CAN PAINT BE A PREVENTION OF DENGUE
8/1 2016, 12 x 23 cm, color paper print, dry paint and plastic roller tray

7. GET RID OF ZIKA
21/1 2016, 7 X 12 X 4 cm, cotton fabric on pavé stone
IN ADVANCE OF THE BROKEN ARM 21/1 2016
21/1 2016, 44 x 20 cm, black marker text and news paper cutout on carton

8. SAMARCO
11/1 2016, 28 x 20 cm, black marker text with newspaper clipping on a carton

9. THE MUD IS COMING
11/1 2016, 60 x 40 cm, black marker on a painting
Private collection, Brazil
ABROLHOS MARINE PARK/ THE MUD IS COMING! RUN AWAY! /
DAVID BOWIE IS DEAD
11/1 2016, 60 x 40 cm, red marker on a painting

10. NEVER GREEN AGAIN
15/ 12016, 24 x 36,5 cm, red marker on color print and carton
WE FIND BEAUTY IN THE WORLD WE DESTROY
15/1 2016, 20 x 20 cm, black marker on a color print and carton
Private collection, Brazil

11. FEMININO
15/1 2016, 15 x 20 cm, paper print on sign
WATER AND GAZ ON EVERY FLOOR
12/1 2016, 2 x 1,40 m 2,2 kg, red and white spray paint on tent

12. MYYOGA IS NOT GOING TO PROTECT US FROM TOXIC GAZ
16/1 2016, 180 x 50 cm, white spray paint on yoga mat

13. MYYOGA IS NOT GOING TO PROTECT US FROM POLICE
REPRESSIONS
14/1 2016, 180 x 50 cm, white spray paint on yoga mat
BOMBAS DE EFEICTO MORAL
12/1 2016, 160 x 107 cm, black and red spray paint on white cotton fabric

14. IN BRAZIL CARTONS ARE USED AS PROTECTION
12/1 2016, 45 x 22 cm, red marker and color print on carton
Private collection, Brazil
BOMBS EDUCATIVE
12/1 2016, 31 x 26 cm, black marker text with newspaper clipping on carton
Private collection, Brazil

15. EXTERMINADORAS
15/1 2016, 37 x 51 cm, red marker on paper cutout, white paper and carton
CHANGE IN THE STRATEGY /CRIMES
7 x 9 cm, 14/1 2016, black marker on a color print and carton

16. BOTOX FOR COPS
15/1 2016, 34 x 21,5 cm black marker on newspaper cutouts and carton
NÃO AVIOLÊNCIA GRATUITA
14/1 2016, 11 x 11 x 5,5 cm, cotton fabric on pavé stone
Private collection, Brazil

17. WELCOME CHEAP WORKERS
14/1 2016, 160 x 110 cm, red and green spray paint on white cotton fabric
BOTOX FOR CHOQUE
15/1 2016, 127 x 67 cm, black spray paint on white cotton fabric

18. POLICE BOTOX
8 x 8 cm, 18/1 2016, black marker text on color print and carton
ONLY REFUGEES WITH BELONGINGS THAT CAN BE CONFISCATED
BYTHE POLICE WILL RECEIVE DANISH FOOD
12/1 2016, 25 x 30 cm, color print and ring on carton

19. WHAT IS XENOPHOBIA
19/1 2016, 18 x 24 cm, black marker text on color print
WHAT IS XENOPHOBIA
13 x 7 cm, 17/1 2016, newspaper cutout on carton

20. 18/1 2016
18/1 2016, 32 x 17cm newspaper outfit and color print on carton

21. THE FASCISTS ARE FASTER TO DO EXHIBITIONS THAN THE ANTI
FASCISTARTISTS
12/1 2016, 36 x 15 cm, black marker on newspaper cutout and carton
WHAT IS XENOPHOBIA
9 x 9 cm, 19/1 2016, black marker on color print and carton

22. THIS DAY IS GOING TO BE REMEMBERED IN DANISH HISTORY
27/1 2016
27/1 2016, 120 x 69 cm, black marker text and emergency blanket on danish
birthday paper tablecloth
HOW CAN WE BE OUTRAGED IN TIME BEFORE THOSE UGLY
LAWS ARE PASSED
27/1 2016, 162 x 124 cm, red and black spray paint on cotton fabric

23. TOO LATE
14/1 2016, 90 x 70 cm, red paint on white canvas
Private collection, Brazil

24. TOO LATE.THERE IS NOTHING UNDER THE DEAD VOLUME
19/1 2016, 68 x 68, black marker text on a traffic sign
IN SAO PAULO, I TOOK A SHOWER OF 5 MINUTES THINKING
ABOUTTHE DEAD VOLUME
11/1 2016, 16 x 14 cm, black marker text and drawing on carton

25. CRIME AMBIENTAL
14/1 2016, 25 x 14 cm, sign with newspaper cutout
VISUAL OPTIMISM
14/1 2016, 26 x 32 cm, black marker text on a newspaper cutout

26. LAVA JATO
20/1 2016, 162 x 98 cm, black and red spray paint on textile banner
THE COLLECTORS ARE IN JAIL
12/1 2016, 86 X 84 cm, red marker on canvas painting

27. OS COLECIONADORES ESTÃO NA PRISAO
12/1 2016, 164 x 134 cm, red spray paint on white cotton fabric
Private collection, Brazil
SANCTIONS
18/1 2016, 27x7 cm, newspaper cutout on carton with transparent film tape

28. THIS IS NOTTHE END
11/1 2016, 22 x 13 cm, newspaper clipping on carton
GENTRIFICATION ARTIST
13/1 2016, 51 x 40 cm, black marker on a wood sign

29. BRANDED PESSIMISM
18/1 2016, 9 x 7 cm, black marker text on newspaper cutout and carton
THE ”CRISIS” IS ATRICKTO MAKE YOU FEEL DEPRESSED AND
CONTROLYOU
11/1 2016, 21 x 21, black marker text and drawing on carton

30. SO MUCH OPINIONS SO LITTLE INVESTIGATION
14/1 2016, 137 x 124 cm, red and black spray paint on white cotton fabric
STARVING FROM WARS
11/1 2016, 13 x 15 cm, black marker text and drawing on carton

31. WAW ! WORLD’S RICHEST PEOPLE NOW HAVE MORE WEALTH
THAN THE POOREST 3,6 BILLION COMBINED. IT IS UNFAIR
18/1 2016, 80 x 80 cm, red marker on painting
IT IS NOT SAFE ANY MORE TO BE A GLOBALTOURIST
16/1 2016, 148 x 55 cm, green, red and yellow spray paint on cotton fabric

32. DAVOS - TODAY IT IS NOT FOR US/ BUTTOMORROW WE WILL
KNOWTHE CONSEQUENCES OF THE SECRETS
20/1 2016, 23 x 22 cm, black marker on color print and carton
ATOMORROW MADE TO ERASE THE PAST
12/1 2016, 20 x 12 cm, black marker on newspaper clipping and carton
Private collection, Brazil

33. IMAGES OR POLITIC
14/1 2016, 22 x 22 cm, black marker on a color print
TO COME HERE AND POINTAT DYSFUNCTIONS I TOOK A PLANE
AND KILLED A PENGUIN
20/1 2016, penguin on cotton fabric with red marker text

34. YOU HAVE THE REMOTE CONTROL
18/1 2016 , 84 x 76, 13x13, one carton with color print and fragment from a poster sign

35. IT IS TOO LATE TO WAKE UP
14/1 2016, 57 x 57 x 95, pillow and mask on cardboard box
APATIA E CONTAGIANTE
14/1 2016, 2,2 kg, 2 x 1,40 m, red spray on tent

36. CAN BEING IN THE NOW BECOME A ROUTINE
26/1 2016, red marker on cotton fabric and wood
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ROUTINE AND RITUAL
13/1 2016, 22,5 x 22,5 cm, red marker on a clock

38. Thierry Geoffroy / COLONEL
Born 1961
www.colonel.dk
Thierry Geoffroy, also known as COLONEL, is a French artist, living in Copenhagen,
Denmark.
He is a format artist developing art formats, most known being
EMERGENCY ROOM, BIENNALIST and CRITICAL RUN.
Thierry Geoffroy / COLONEL has published 6 books and his artworks
are are included in international museum collections.
He is Chevalier de l’ordre des Arts et des Lettres.
SELECTED GROUP AND ONE-MAN SHOWS FROM 2007 - 2015
P.S.1/ MOMA New York, USA; ZKM Museum Karlsruhe, DE; Sprengel Museum,
Hannover, DE; Moderna Museet, the Museum of Modern Art, Stockholm, SE;
HEART- Herning Museum of Contemporary Art Denmark, Herning, DK; Plazzo
Delle Arti Napoli, IT; The Museum of Contemporary Art, Roskilde, DK; Galerie
Asbaek Copenhagen, DK; The Maldives Pavilion,Venice Biennale,Venice, IT;
Liverpool Biennial, Liverpool, UK, Manifesta Biennal, Murcia, ES; National
Museum Rejkavik, FI; Galerie Olaf Stüber, Berlin, DE, IKM Museum, Oslo, NO;
Fries Museum, Leeuwarden, NL; Devron Arts, Huntly,Aberdeenshire, SCO; The
Model, Sligo, IR; Fotografisk Center, Copenhagen, DK; Cairo Biennale, Cairo, EG;
Blackwood Gallery Toronto, CAN; Galerie Ileana Tounta,Athens, GR; Kunsthalle
Osnabrück, Osnabrück, DE.