Open until April 23, 2022.

As you approach the Bétonsalon you begin to wonder if you are getting nervous. You can hear a constant low thumping, and you look down at your chest. Is it you? Why are you nervous? As you approach the building, you begin to realize that it is not your heart, but rather the building in front of you; it has a heartbeat of its own. Very fitting if you know the mission behind the Bétonsalon, a center dedicated to improving the community by spreading awareness of artists and their powerful, positive messages.

In her current exhibition at the Bétonsalon, The Volunteers, pigment-medicine, Troter continues her exploration of language and its mechanisms by investigating and portraying the power of speech through sound, writing, and installation and help propel Bétonsalon’s mission with it. The exhibition is populated by the voices of caregivers or patients, art therapists, models, nurses, paramedics, and resistance fighters who all have a background in art as well. Inspired by the detours of the lives of artists involved in care, Troter takes the voices of the workers previously mentioned and creates a mingling of their words, combining the interstices of mute images with conversations among the participants about their health, their work-related illnesses, their mobilizations, and the material conditions of their lives. As visitors navigate through the exhibition, they can listen to the voices of the protagonists talk about their affiliation with the general social security system as well as their social insecurity –compiling to become a French history of art and the healthcare policies for artists. By describing the healthcare struggles of art workers, retracing the advent of the health booklet, and recounting the gaffes of old age insurance, these protagonists are able to express their woes to an audience that may not be aware of such problems or visitors who are seeking to better understand what is occurring to help. The works of art combined with the sounds and the staged sculptures brings together an exhibition that successfully creates a medical autobiography composed of a hybrid collective body (as long as you can understand French, of course).

Knowing the story behind the exhibit, as well as the mission of the Béthonsalon, it is only fitting that this installation be displayed at Bétonsalon. Troter tests a long-standing history of poor healthcare for artists by speaking up and bringing together many narratives to create one large, thought-provoking piece. Bétonsalon looks to combat all forms of discrimination and the lack of maternity leave, leave for work-related illness or injury is discriminatory, as all workers deserve fair treatment in regard to fair leave of absence. They are being forced to work under poor stipulations, which is something that must be fixed. Characterizing itself as a “refuge where bodies and voices find their place”, Bétonsalon has allowed Troter to give a voice to these workers, who are in need of their voices being heard in order to try to better their circumstances.

Constantly bringing in artists with a story to tell or message a to share, Bétonsalon looks to diffuse knowledge as widely as possible so that people can hear narratives that they would usually not come across. For me, this is apparent when considering the Anne Le Troter exhibit. Being from a country other than France, I am unaware of current political struggles occurring here, the conditions of art workers being one of them. It is intriguing to not only hear the myriad of messages being shared by the protagonists of the exhibit, but to hear them in the way that Troter has formulated the exhibit only adds to that. The sound mechanics used to deliver the complaints and pleas of the protagonists are constantly sounding, requiring for particular attention to be given. Words mingle with one another as well as interact with ambient sounds. These juxtaposing noises come together to blur themselves together and be one. The specific narratives given are disheartening and maddening, and although more discursive, parallel the boisterous ambient sounds, as the ambient sounds help describe and bring out the anger and frustration being exhibited. The disruptive noises that intermingle with the deliberate words highlight the feelings of those speaking and truly help the audience understand the deep-rooted irritation with the healthcare system.

As previously mentioned, I thought the choice of location was great because of the mission of both the center and the exhibition. They help one another complete what they are hoping to achieve. Beyond that, I thought that the space was conducive to the sound on display. The way that the multiple sounds echoed off the walls integrated its audience even more. As a viewer, you are able to better understand the message as you feel like you are drowning in the myriad of stories that are being told; this helps extrapolate on how large the problem is. The intensity of the sound resonates with the viewer, as it fosters an understanding that the problem is overwhelming and impacting many people.

Further, the idea of curing goes far beyond the words spoken and the message being conveyed. Troter goes as far as trying to repair the floor by spilling tin all over it. This idea of helping “cure” the space goes beyond the messages themselves of trying to fix the healthcare system, as it shows the different levels of care being tended to. The detail taken to assure that the message is resonated in more than one way truly impressed me and pushed me to want to learn more about the current healthcare system in France and what is currently happening with it in the political landscape.

I do believe that there was a downfall in the choice of location, if I am being knit-picky. Although the space does a great job of echoing the multiple sounds present, it does not best portray the drawings mounted on the wall. I thought the drawings were very intriguing and incredibly clever; I was able to look at each one and wonder for a while what it could mean and how it related to the bigger picture. Being that the space is so bright, though, it was difficult at times to see the drawings unless you got very close to them due to the reflection form the sun. It could have been Trotter’s intention that the viewer had to get close to the paintings in order to see them, hoping that this would compel the viewer to pay more attention and look more closely, but, in general, I do not know if that was truly the intention. I feel that the artist could have potentially framed the mounted art differently or changed the lighting situation somehow in order to better display the drawings.

Otherwise, I thought the art itself was very compelling. It blurred the line between the healthcare system and sexuality. Many of the drawings seemed to be both related to doctors and check ups but also the body and its erotic capabilities. It was an interesting idea to sit with. I compel everyone to go back and take in every piece on its own as well as understanding its meaning with the bigger installation.