Dis-moi dix mots... à la folie, édition 2015-2016

A partnership between Institut français and Tate based on the ‘Concours des dix mots’, initiated by the French Ministry of Education and which aims at celebrating the French language

BP Art Exchange and the French Ministry of Education would like to invite you to participate in an exciting initiative exploring Art and Language. Les dix mots à la folie is a project initiated by the French Ministry of Education and the aim of this annual initiative is for classes to create a collective literary and artistic piece of work responding to a selection of 10 French words. The words from the 2015-2016 edition show the ability of the French language to evolve, adapt, transform, reinvent and enrich itself over time. Therefore, the choice for these 10 words highlights the capacity of the French language to welcome the most unexpected verbal inventions, illustrating Victor Hugo’s maxim “A language does not become fixed. The human intellect is always on the march, or, if you prefer, in movement, and languages with it.”

For inspiration, you can visit your local gallery, browse the Tate online digitised collection or use this power point as a reference point for creating works in response to one or more of the 10 words: chafouin(ine), lumerotte, dracher, ristrette, fada, vigousse, Ouf Timbré, Tohu-bohu, Zigzag If you would like to participate in this project, register at bpartexchange.tate.org.uk and join the Dix Mots group. Upload the works that your students have created to share them with others. A panel of judges from the French Institute will meet on 15th March to select the three most interesting submission to be featured on Tate website. For more information about the project Dix Mots à la folie please visit the website: www.dismoidixmots.culture.fr Please note that for copyright reasons the art works included in this power point can only be used as a point of reference or an inspiration, but cannot be reproduced in any way or form.

CHAFOUIN(INE) noun and adjective Used in France. Older person with sneaky demeanor. Currning, sly.

Donald Rodney

How the West was Won 1982

© The estate of Donald Rodney

LUMEROTTE noun, feminine Used in Belgium. Light source with low intensity. Hollowed vegetable (beet, squash, pumpkin, etc) that is pierced to emit light.

JMW Turner

The Garreteer’s Petition 1948

© Tate

LUMEROTTE noun, feminine Used in Belgium. Light source with low intensity. Hollowed vegetable (beet, squash, pumpkin, etc) that is pierced to emit light.

Martin Creed

The lights going on and off

2000

Photo: Tate Photography

© Martin Creed

DÉPANNEUR noun, masculine. Used in Quebec. Small shop with late opening times. Food and other general items are among the goods sold.

John Piper Photograph of a roadside convenience store in Worcester 1948

© The Piper Estate

DRACHER Verb impersonal Used in Belgium. Heavy, torrential rain.

Willie Doherty

The Bridge 1992

© Willie Doherty

RISTRETTE noun, masculin

Used in Switzerland. Small, strong coffee made in a percolator steam (from the Italian ristretto); in metaphorical sense, it is often linked with tight, limited time

Pierre Bonnard Le Café 1915 © ADAGP, Paris and DACS, London 2015

Christian Marclay The Clock 2010 (installation shot) © Christian Marclay Courtesy White Cube, London and Paula Cooper Gallery, New York

RISTRETTE noun, masculin

Used in Switzerland. Small, strong coffee made in a percolator steam (from the Italian

ristretto); in metaphorical sense, it is often linked with tight, limited time

FADA noun and adjective

Used in France. A little crazy, crazy.

Gillian Wearing OBE

I have been certified as mildly insane

1992-3

© Gillian Wearing, courtesy Maureen

Paley/Interim Art, London

Edward Ruscha I PLEAD INSANITY BECAUSE I’M JUST CRAZY ABOUT THAT LITTLE GIRL 1976 © Ed Ruscha

FADA noun and adjective Used in France. A little crazy, crazy.

VIGOUSSE adjective Used in Switzerland. Vigorous, lively, fully of life. Strong, robust, resistant (animal, plant).

Umberto Boccioni

Unique Forms of Continuity in Space

(Forme uniche della continuità nello spazio)

1913, cast 1972 © Tate

Cy Twombly Untitled (Bacchus) 2008 © Cy Twombly Foundation

VIGOUSSE adjective Used in Switzerland. Vigorous, lively, fully of life. Strong, robust, resistant (animal, plant).

CHAMPAGNÉ masculin noun

Used in Congo. Person of influence with many relationships.

Richard Hamilton

Towards a definitive statement

On the coming trends in menswear

and accessories (a) Together let

us explore the stars 1962

© The estate of Richard Hamilton

TAP-TAP masculin noun.

Used in Haiti. Small rapid car.

Giacomo Balla Abstract Speed – The Car has Passed (Velocità astratta –

l'auto è passata) 1913

© DACS, 2015

POUDRERIE feminine noun.

Used in Quebec. Snow storm, blizzard.

Anish Kapoor As if to Celebrate, I Discovered a Mountain Blooming with Red Flowers 1981 © Anish Kapoor

Please note that for copyright reasons the artworks included in this presentation can only be used as a point of reference or an inspiration, but cannot be reproduced in any way or form.

Please do not upload them to the BP Art Exchange website.

Contacts

Language Attaché: yves.letournel@diplomatie.gouv.fr

Key contact: Luisa Ulyett, Assistant Curator BP Art Exchange Luisa.Ulyett@tate.org.uk

BP Art Exchange: bpartexchange@tate.org.uk

Convenor BP Art Exchange: Annie Bicknell

Assistant Curator BP Art Exchange: Fran Laws