STÉPHANE DE MEDEIROS IS A FRENCH SCULPTOR WHO WAS BORN IN BENIN IN 1972 . HE HAS BEEN MAKING INSTALLATIONS, OBJECTS AND PERFORMANCES SINCE THE LATE 1990S
HIS LATEST PIECES OF WORK AS APORIAS OR PARADOXES PROVOKE SHOCK AND TRANSCENDENCE. "IT'S LIKE THE ZEN POEMS, 'KOAN', WHICH ARE TOOLS FOR A SPIRITUAL AWAKENING. AS A SCULPTOR WHAT IS IMPORTANT FOR ME IS THAT A KOAN ACTS LIKE A SLAP, AND AS SUCH CREATES AN HAPTIC SPACE." SAYS THE ARTIST.
PARADOX IS SIMILAR TO THE RELIGIOUS CONCEPT OF THE 'MIRACLE': A SITUATION WHICH IS KNOWN TO BE IMPOSSIBLE BUT WHICH HAPPENS NONETHELESS. THIS IDEA OF THE MIRACLE IS THE FOUNDATION OF FAITH: I BELIEVE BECAUSE IT IS UNBELIEVABLE. CREDO QUIA ABSURDUM. BUT FOR DE MEDEIROS THERE IS NO NEED TO GO FAR TO FIND A MIRACLE. IT IS ONLY NECESSARY TO BE AWARE THAT: "MUSTARD IS A SPICY VERSION OF A JURASSIC ANIMAL. COCA COLA IS A SPARKLING VERSION OF THE BIG BANG. NOTHING IS LOST, EVERYTHING IS TRANSFORMED. WE ARE MADE UP OF STARDUST." IN THIS REGARD THE ARTIST IS FOND OF QUOTING THE FRENCH POET RENÉ CHAR:
"HOW FAR BACK SHOULD MEMORY MOVE AWAY TO BE FINALLY REMEMBERED?"