museum in progress asks: Jean-Luc Moulène

For museum in progress' exhibition series "Layers of Time" in DATUM you chose the date 29 July 2011 as basis for your artwork. What significance does this date have for you, what do you associate with it?

Since January 8, 1998, the images of my impersonal diary have been titled by a date, a name and a place. It is not only a classification. It has to do with the idea of being a long time performer. In this image the date in the title, the day of shooting and the daily newspaper are joining: 29-07-2011.

Have you worked on this subject before in other pieces of art?

It is a project going on a long time.

Which aspects of your artistic work are especially important to you?

Sorry, this question is too open; there are so many, and they are depending on time and conditions.

If you could determine one of your works of art to outlast the course of time and to be still admired in the far future, which would you choose?

See image.

Are significant personal experiences important for your art? If yes: Could you give an example?

Yes of course, I cannot be in any other place than the place where my art is, i.e. personal experience is a condition of Art (not the only one), so it is not a specific matter of importance.

What is the appeal in creating a work of art for public spaces or the media?

Art is a public thing – better to show it straight in public spaces.

To what extent should art fulfil any socio-political tasks?

There are a lot of books about this question, I can’t say in a few lines.

How would you characterise good art?

Good art? Or bad. No idea. There is a fight going on.

What are the limits of art?

I don’t work with limits. It is not a useful concept for me.


All participating artists of "Layers of Time" are asked to answer the same questions. In this way the serial character of the project is emphasised as well as the artists' individual points of view, and the interested readers get additional information about the works and their creators.