Atelier Van Lieshout (AVL), la vie est belle

Bio-gas installations, live-in life-sized organs, manure pressing machines. Just some of the large-scale installations at AVL's exhibition, at the Tri-Postal Lille.

Quirky and engaging in places, dour and mechanical in others. Joep van Lieshout himself has developed the AVL-Ville alt-community in Rotterdam. There too surreal pieces, to make one laugh and think, sit side by side with functional works that make humans a mere part of the production chain. In Sport Nouveau, the lack of design seemingly reduces human needs to sex, fitness and chilling out - but yet the whole idea of utopian utility still seems odd. This makes others like the Goulash Canon's army field kitchen seem like positively lavish evocations of the communal spirit.

As AVl recycles not only objects but ideas, it was fitting that it was held at Tripostal, former city post office space. It has kept its post-industrial feel without the need for the extreme cross-branding prevalent in other mass market art spaces. Excellent graf pieces also adorn the long wall outside, opposite a huge college.

The free show is just one tiny facet of Lille's tenure as the European city of culture. Moving on from Tricolore's description, Lille is a ville post-industrielle very much embracing modernity and change, from Place Mitterand and Lille Europe station to the cheap and accessible tramway, without stripping the heart out of the old town. Whether a general trip or for Deuxmille et quatre as Lille people say, avoid Brit-consumptive dirge and travel sous la manche to this fine city.

www.lille2004.com

  ¶ 9:38 PM