Marguerite Humeau’s FOXP2
The home of Paul Smith and a key component in his design inspiration, Nottingham is the cultural hub of the Midlands. Playing a big part in this is Nottingham Contemporary; the international art centre that’s one of Britain’s largest for contemporary art.
Currently showing until 15 January 2017 is FOXP2 by Marguerite Humeau, the French artist whose work focuses on communication between worlds. Describing herself as an “Indiana Jones in Google times”, Humeau uses art to explore time, space and science, and to push the limit of our knowledge and what we currently believe to be true.
FOXP2 carries on in this theme, named after the gene associated with the beginning of language. So often regarded as the reason humans dominated the planet, language is what sets humanity apart from the animal kingdom. In this exhibition, Humeau poses the question of what would happen if elephants had surpassed humans in the evolution department.
Humeau describes the exhibition as a “biological showroom” of elephants taking part in an elaborate mourning ritual, resulting in a space that seems at once primitive and futuristic, showcasing a world where humans are no longer the focal point.
FOXP2 will be at Nottingham Contemporary until 15 January 2017, in collaboration with the Palais de Tokyo. Visit the
