It’s been a busy year for the New York-based, French artist Cyril Duval, better known as Item Idem. Having just wrapped up his first solo exhibition in the United States at Johannes Vogt Gallery and the Tiki Pop façade for Neuehouse, he launched the third installment of Shanzhai Biennial with his collaborators Avena Gallagher and Babak Radboy at Frieze London last week. Cyril uses his sharp wit to play with the perception of culture and commerce, and further pushes the ongoing conversation of whether the two can be defined separately from one another. This is clearly displayed in Shanzhai Biennial No.3, titled 100 Hamilton Terrace, where the trio created a conceptual real-estate campaign for a £32 million mansion in St. John’s Wood—concurrently installed at Project Native Informant and Frieze Art Fair London.
We caught up with Duval to get a better understanding of what it all means.
NIKKI MIRSAEID: To break the ice, I would like to start with three generic questions pulled from the 1960s television show, The Dating Game.
Some of your most notable works are conceptual environments that transcend space or exist in various places at once: Bernhard Willhelm's Tokyo Flagship Store, the Shanzhai Biennial, Felon, and the Tiki Pop façade for Neuehouse, for instance. How does this affect how you approach the white cube of a gallery, a much more typical interior?
I can easily concur with this. Most of my works relating to spaces or interiors encompass a direct connection with the audience. I fiercely believe in the emotional intelligence of the viewers and am always very interested by all forms of critical feedback. There’s always a sociological or historical approach triggering the concept of my pieces, and I often select a maximalist and/or immersive direction to propose a cultural and emotional dialogue with the public.
We caught up with Duval to get a better understanding of what it all means.
NIKKI MIRSAEID: To break the ice, I would like to start with three generic questions pulled from the 1960s television show, The Dating Game.
1. What are you looking for in a man/woman?
CYRIL DUVAL: Humor and wit are usually the qualities that turn me on in someone. Life is way too short to spend a second being bored. I also admire self-esteem and inner confidence. Those are true requirements in order to be able to give back something genuinely generous to the world. Kindness and patience coming after, of course, then good looks are always a plus. Why not?!
2. Are you a morning person or a night owl?
I am a night owl turning into a morning person.
3. What are your best qualities?
I am loyal, hardworking, and perseverant. I foresee the whereabouts of a situation and always analyze 10 steps ahead all potential outcomes, and it can sometimes be a problem. Oh well, I am a Capricorn, so no wonder.
CYRIL DUVAL: Humor and wit are usually the qualities that turn me on in someone. Life is way too short to spend a second being bored. I also admire self-esteem and inner confidence. Those are true requirements in order to be able to give back something genuinely generous to the world. Kindness and patience coming after, of course, then good looks are always a plus. Why not?!
2. Are you a morning person or a night owl?
I am a night owl turning into a morning person.
3. What are your best qualities?
I am loyal, hardworking, and perseverant. I foresee the whereabouts of a situation and always analyze 10 steps ahead all potential outcomes, and it can sometimes be a problem. Oh well, I am a Capricorn, so no wonder.
When did your fascination with commercial products begin? Is it safe to say it’s an obsession?
It is indeed at the very least an obsession. I am actually not sure when it all started. Maybe when I started living in Japan 11 years ago? But, it has to come from a much more ancient and buried memory I’m sure. Something within my childhood must have triggered this fascination. I will get back to you on that when I find out.Some of your most notable works are conceptual environments that transcend space or exist in various places at once: Bernhard Willhelm's Tokyo Flagship Store, the Shanzhai Biennial, Felon, and the Tiki Pop façade for Neuehouse, for instance. How does this affect how you approach the white cube of a gallery, a much more typical interior?
I can easily concur with this. Most of my works relating to spaces or interiors encompass a direct connection with the audience. I fiercely believe in the emotional intelligence of the viewers and am always very interested by all forms of critical feedback. There’s always a sociological or historical approach triggering the concept of my pieces, and I often select a maximalist and/or immersive direction to propose a cultural and emotional dialogue with the public.