The Danish-Canadian artist Jean Marc Routhier's art installation captures the aesthetics of the carnival and brings memories of past festivals to life. At the same time the artist playfully and critically questions the idea of a festival as a collective utopia, or whether it is more a place for individual celebration and escapism.
Jean Marc Routhier's installation, made specifically for Roskilde Festival, consists of steel wires that stretch between two high points at the main festival site. These steel wires carry colorful "flags", inspired by Tibetan prayer flags, composed of candy banknotes and contrasting objects, creating a dialogue between the spiritual and the profane.
The artwork goes beyond being a passive exhibition and actively seeks to enhance the festival atmosphere. If you look closely, you discover that the flags, painted with epoxy, are stiffened in their movement, giving them a dynamic dimension. The art installation thus invites us to experience movement in frozen forms and to reflect on the transience of the moment and the temporary nature of the festival.
Jean Marc Routhier graduated from the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, Copenhagen. He also studied at the Universität der Künste, Berlin. Through his works of art, he investigates questions about the construction of the subjective and the existence of an objective truth. He lives and works in Copenhagen.
Jean Marc Routhier's artwork is presented in collaboration with Art Hub Copenhagen as part of Residency To Go 2024.