The forgotten

Performance

Andrée Weschler

The Forgotten

Clay is soft and moist. It can be manipulated into any form it’s sculptor

desires. First malleable, you can carve everything then it will dry, then

harden once put in an oven at very high temperature. A fleeting moment

can be immortalized, like the memory of life.

In the Human architectural and sculptural landscapes, there are many

statues modelled by anonymous faces. The sculptors were perhaps

inspired by women who shared their lives, mothers, fathers, mistresses,

children. We do not know anything about their lives, only their faces that

remain carved in stone.

There are so many artists around the world, in every country, in every city,

in ancient times and in modern day. We do not know them all, we can only

remember a few. And will survive anonymous works from anonymous

artists.

Sculptures to this day almost always represent someone other than

who is depicted. A select few that were deemed worthy to remember

compared to the thousands that modelled in their place, many of which

are biblical figures. No one remembers the women who modelled for the

Virgin Mary or the men who modelled for the David.

In “The Forgotten”, I am sculptor, model, and subject matter. As a mother,

friend, child, and artist I allow myself, an ordinary woman, the right to be

remembered. I carve and shape the memory of all those forgotten in order

to immortalise the few.

To anonymous artists, to anonymous models

Andrée Weschler uses her body conceptually through performance art and video art. In all her works, the body is emphasised, displayed and exposed. The body of the artist is a vehicle for her ideas, acting as both a tool and her voice.
Born in France, Andrée Weschler has been living and practicing her art in Asia for the past 20 years. She is trained in visual arts in Singapore, Australia and France. At Les Beaux Arts de Paris, she worked in the atelier of Annette Messager. Since 2000, she has been invited to participate in international art events in Asia and Europe.
Her artistic practices encompasses Performance art, video art, photography, installation and jewelry-making.