| The fund is dedicated to nurturing
and supporting outstanding programming of contemporary artists
from France and the United States. It facilitates the discovery
of emerging talent and firmly believes in the need to sustain
interest in established artists whose work inspires younger
generations. Furthermore, Etant donnés is instrumental
in creating a network of curators from both countries who work
together and exchange ideas.
The program was created in 1994 by the Cultural Services
of the French Embassy, CulturesFrance and the Délégation
aux Arts Plastiques (DAP) of the French Ministry of Culture
and Communication, in partnership with the Florence Gould
Foundation, New York.
Etant donnés takes its name from the famed artwork
by Marcel Duchamp, the French-born artist
who established himself in the United States and whose work
has inspired contemporary artists for decades. By referencing
Duchamp’s legacy, Etant donnés underscores the
constant interaction between France and the United States
in the history of art in the 20th century and beyond. It also
fosters the belief formulated by Duchamp that "All in
all, the creative act is not performed by the artist alone."
Etant donnés benefits from the expertise of its
Artistic Committee.
The Committee’s critical judgment ensures that sponsors
and donors who support the Fund are working with and exposed
to some of the world’s best art professionals and practitioners
today. Furthermore, it guarantees that their funding goes
to the most valuable and cutting-edge projects. Etant donnés
also benefits from its solid network of contacts formed over
ten years of existence and four successive committees. In
this spirit, it is launching a new committee of Friends to
further enhance its ability to support projects and to strengthen
exchange and discourse.
Etant donnés has developed an international reputation
for helping realize a substantial number of projects. Over the last ten years, Etant donnés has distributed over
$1.5 million to more than 180 projects at most major
American institutions including the Solomon R. Guggenheim
Museum, the Whitney Museum of American Art, the DIA Art Foundation,
P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center, the Los Angeles County Museum
of Art, the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, the
Museum of Contemporary Art in Miami, the Walker Art Center,
and the Wexner Art Center. It has also supported numerous
projects at alternative spaces such as Artists Space, Art
in General, ArtPace and Apex Art, among others. In France,
Etant donnés has supported organizations including
the Musée National d’Art Moderne Centre Georges
Pompidou, Villa Arson in Nice, CAPC/Musée d’Art
Contemporain in Bordeaux and several FRACs (Fonds Régional
d’Art Contemporain).
Among the artists who were first introduced to the U.S. thanks
to Etant donnés are Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster, Pierre
Huyghe, Matthieu Laurette and Jean-Michel Othoniel. In France,
John Currin and Diana Thater, among others, benefited from
early presentations of their works in solo shows.
To expand the opportunities available to curators and to
respond to their increasing interest, Etant donnés
is enlarging its current mission by launching a fundraising
campaign for a new Curatorial
Research Fellowships program to assist American
curators and scholars wishing to conduct research in France
for periods of up to three months. This program will give
them the opportunity to explore the French art scene and will
facilitate professional contacts in preparation for future
exhibitions or other projects. Curatorial Research Fellowships
in France will support the professional and scholarly development
of curators by funding sabbaticals for short-term research
or study projects that advance the understanding of French
contemporary visual art, its context and history. The Fund
is also undertaking a campaign to significantly enlarge its
available funds through its Friends and Patrons.
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