(Je ferme mon dernier carton)

C’est un vingtaine d’années d’ennui qui finissent ce soir.
Un lent moment de respiration et je saute -

Il parait que là où je vais, rien ne sera pareil
et que je ne serais plus jamais exactement le même.

A graver ton prénom partout où j’ai pu,

[…]

Philippe Hallais released his new album “An American Hero” in 2017. The collaboration between Ethan Assouline and Philippe Hallais started through the artwork and visuals of the album. Ethan Assouline created a string of short videos to accompany the album, and the collaboration now unfolds the next chapter in the format of sculptures.

The album “An American Hero” is inspired by the dramatic structure of reality TV biopics of high-level athletes. From the election of young sports talents in high school onto the questions of their injuries, betrayals and finally redemption. The album is an imaginary soundtrack for a nonexisting mass-produced reality series that follows through the 11 acts of the Greek Tragedy

In “Angela (An American Hero, Chapitre 2)” the narrative continues as a collection of sculptures, paintings and compositions of still lifes. The new pieces by Ethan Assouline aim to weave the portrait of a hero who isn’t there anymore. The story is told through the absence of the body. The exhibition is a physical illustration of the album by Philippe Hallais, and the second chapter can be only perceived through the series of fetishised objects and haunting memories.