8 Gods opens like a theatrical staging or a contemporary temple wherein Creten’s Wargames at the exhibition entrance symbolize a sculpted peristyle. The ensemble of columns and statues gathered here by the artist meld individual memory and historical narratives in a syncretic and poetic sculptural universe, inviting the viewer to partake in a contemplative perambulation.

A group of more architectural and figurative works is installed in the main room. Three imposing black columns, entitled Massu, cast in bronze, punctuate the space. At once stable and dynamic, these pillars shoot upwards in a burst of vital energy. The largest of the three stands at almost six meters high and seems to pierce the gallery’s ceiling.

Among these monumental architectural elements will be placed 8 Gods, new figurative sculptures on coloured pedestals in glazed ceramics. These masculine and feminine characters come together in a lively yet silent council; partially or totally veiled, their postures recall antique sculptures or sacred figures. Each sculpture’s uniqueness is reinforced by the enamel firing technique, animating the works, which seem to converse between themselves and with the viewer. The latter is also invited to take a seat on one of the coloured Points d’Observation (Viewpoints) in order to view the exhibition and interact with the surrounding muses. Creten specifically conceived of these works — whose shape echoes that of a mooring post — as a breath or pause between the other pieces. These Points d’Observation (Viewpoints) urge us to take our time. This series also allows Creten to pursue his reflections upon the relationship between sculpture and pedestal, between the spectator and his environment of images.

(Press Release, Almine Rech Gallery)