Maxime Gourdon b.1993 in Angers, France.
Based in Brussels
contact: gourdon.maxime(at)gmail.com
Maxime Gourdon (°1993, FR) is a curator, researcher and occasional cinematographer, based in Brussels. His work span collective working environments and collaborative setups, ranging from exhibition-making, research projects, to video-based works. These experiences have shaped means of inquiry that challenge academic and curatorial research in their classical ways, for they are modelled after first hand experience of cross disciplinary practices.
He currently pursues a theoretical and artistic research on the visual apparatus. Through this research he develops ideas of unbound vision to reconsider the normative gaze and objectifying look imposed by western institutions. This research intertwines scientific evidence to fictional elements so as to re-write new looking methodologies and expand our field of vision. Calling for a plurality of forms when addressing an audience, he attempts to develop new curatorial formats ; performative practices, audiovisual lecturing and editorial projects take a prime role in the delivery of his research.
Maxime Gourdon graduated in Cinema (Ecole Nationale Supérieure Louis Lumière, Paris, FR), Visual Arts and Curatorial Studies (KASK, Ghent, BE), and Art Praxis (Dutch Art Institute, Arnhem, NL), and has been a recipient of the QAYYEM Curatorial Fellowship. Recent exhibitions and curatorial projects include: Bozar, Brussels (BE) ; Silent Green, Berlin (DE) ; MASS, Alexandria (EG) ; 9th Bucharest Biennale (RO).
Education
2018-2020 MA Art Praxis, Dutch Art Institute - Arnhem, Netherlands.
Master's thesis : « Strabism, double vision, queering visual culture », Advised by Rachel O’Reilly.
2017-2018 Postgraduate in Curatorial Studies - KASK, Gent, Belgium.
2016-2017 Master of Fine Arts - Media Arts, KASK, Gent, Belgium.
Master’s Thesis : “On contemporary Social practices”, Advised by Helena de Preester and Jasper Rigole.
Graduated with distinction.
2013-2016 Masters Degree in Cinema, École Nationale Supérieure Louis Lumière, Paris, France.
Master’s Thesis : “Artists’ Film, at the crossroads between Cinema and Contemporary Art”,
Advised by Giusy Pisano and Philippe-Alain Michaud,
Graduated with first class honours.
2015-2017 Erasmus semester in Cinematography, Portuguese National Filmschool, Lisbon, Portugal.
2011-2013 Preparatory Courses to Cinema schools, Cinesup, Nantes, France.
Professional
2021 Adjunct Faculty, Liberal Studies and Art History, Paris College of Arts, Paris, FR
2020 External jury, ERG, Brussels, BE
2019 QAYYEM Curatorial Research Fellow, Amman, JO / Tangier, MA / Alexandria, EG (9 months)
2019 Guest Lecturer and External Jury Member - Bachelor in Arts, ERG, Brussels, Belgium.
2018 Video documentation for La Loge, Brussels, Belgium.
2017 Curatorial and communications intern,La Loge, Brussels, Belgium.
2017 Documentation and editorial, Festival Résonances, LaVallée, Brussels, Belgium.
2017 Assistant to Edith Dekyndt studio for the Belgian Art Prize, BOZAR, Brussels, Belgium.
2017 Filmmaker for the video archive program, INHA (National Institute of Art History), Paris, France.
2016 Feedback sessions member — Working Title Festival 2016, Brussels, Belgium.
2016 16mm Workshop, Arne Hector, Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, Copenhagen, Denmark.
2016 Filmmaker for the video archive program, INHA (National Institute of Art History), Paris, France.
Curated exhibitions
2021 Curator, Equinoxe, La Serre 171 Graystraat, Brussels
2018 Co-curator, Somewhere In Between, part of Curatorial Studies at KASK, Bozar, Brussels
2018 Co-Curator, State Of Statelessness, ISELP, Brussels
2018 Co Curator, Why Work, Performative Lecture part of Rites Of Exchange, ISELP, Brussels, 12/05
2018 Curator, 空, Putsch Galerie, Brussels
Featured in Exhibitions / Screenings
2021 Editorial contributor to On&For Production and Distribution ‘dummies’ publication – Brussels, BE
2020 9th Bucharest Biennale : Farewell To Research, handfuls thrown into air and scattered over earth
2019 أحطمنا من جديد لكي أحملنا إلى مكان آخر — I’m breaking us apart again so that I might carry us somewhere else, Alexandria, EG
2019 Dutch Art Institute COOP Summit 2019, Cagliari, IT
2018 In Between The Lines, Kunstenbibliotheek, Gent, BE
2017 KASK Graduation Show, Kunsttoren, Gent.
2017 Try-outs, Zwarte Zaal, Curated by Hadassah Emmerich, Gent, BE
2017 The New What Now, Miryzaal Gent, Belgium and De Singel Antwerp, BE
2017 We Hate It When Our Friends Become Successful, Zwarte Zaal,Curated by Anne-Françoise Lesuisse, Gent, BE
2016 Graduation Show — Ecole Nationale Supérieure Louis Lumière, Paris, FR
2016 Festival Résonances — LaVallée, Brussels, BE
Residencies / Study Programmes
2019 QAYYEM : Programme in Curatorial Research over a period of six months
MMAG Foundation Amman (JO), MASS Alexandria (EG), Atelier Kissaria (MA)
2019 BOCTO, Versegeres, CH
2015 DOX : ACADEMY HYBRID fellow at CPH:DOX, Copenhagen, DK
Commissioned works
2021 Cinematographer for La Mue, short film, dir. Willy Orr
2019 Cinematographer for Caresse, short film, dir. Willy Orr.
2018 Cinematography and video effects for Constance Proux Unhappy Is The Land project, 10 HD video installation.
2017 Color grading for Red Feelings, Dir. Léo Hoffsaes & Loto Retina — Hélicotronc studio, Brussels, Belgium.
2017 Cinematographer for Les Ruches, documentary film, dir. Willy Orr.
2017 Color grading of Hamsters, 75’ feature film, dir. Martine Doyen — Hélicotronc studio, Brussels, Belgium.
2016 Cinematographer for the Interview of Jean Marc Poinsot, headed by Elitza Dulguerova. 4h30’ interview, INHA (National Institute of Art History), Paris, France.
2016 through June 2017 - Filmmaker for the video archive program, at INHA (National Institute of Art History), Paris, France.
2015 Film collaboration with LABEX H2H research team, on sono-tactile listening and vibrating surfaces. Artistic research project at Centre Pompidou Metz, headed by contemporary music composer Pascale Criton and Laboratoire d'Acoustique Musicale, Paris.
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