Castled / Benoît Maire

Benoît Maire’s practice revolves around the interaction of objects, images, words, and philosophical ideas and how they might co-exist and transform over time. His process is one of collage, montage, and editing. His compositions are assemblages of different elements that he selects, organizes, condenses, modifies, and juxtaposes into one large scenario to which he prescribes an ongoing and performative life. To him, the point lies in the performance of an idea, rather than in any finite or resolved manifestation or result.

While philosophy is a consistent reference, Maire uses it more as a metaphor than as a theoretical support. Since he sees philosophy as a tool, he has been drawn to the concept of the tool, or, more specifically, to the idea of a measuring tool. Unlike a philosopher, Maire doesn’t intend to frame a problem and define it, but, in his words, to create a “puddle” that is meant…