Get CharlElie’s answer

1/ Which of the popular sports in the United States do you follow the most?

I watch tennis all year round. I sometimes manage to go to the U.S. Open, but not this year. I understand the issues of this sport that I practice when I can. Besides tennis, I follow baseball, football and ultimate fighting.

I would not say that I’m a fan, because true fans know everything about their team and I know almost nothing. However, I love the Yankees. When I used to live in France, I already knew the names of Babe Ruth, Joe Di Maggio, Mickey Mantle. Now, I follow the feats of Derek Jeter, Nick Swisher, Robinson Cano, Mark Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez. A few years ago, I took a picture in downtown New York with all the Yankees teammates wearing Jeter’s #2 jersey.

Yankees wearing Derek Jeter #2 jersey in New York

Baseball by CharlElie

In football, I like the N.Y. Giants. I am one of the 70 million spectators watching the Super bowl. We won the last one and it was a great time to be in Manhattan.

Recently, I also discovered the violent ultimate fighting. It seems that it’ll replace boxing. With weird tattoos to scare the devils, they’re not beauty but beasts. Sure they smash eyebrows and strangle dragons, but the commitment of these gladiators is 100%, and yet they are still able to show respect to one another. I liked Randy Couture for his courage and energy to the bottom of the California Kid Urijah Faber.

I also like golf and basketball sometimes, but not all season long. If sport is a religion for some, none of us have the same mystical approach to a religion: faithful believers go to the synagogue every week, some others just go for the feasts or big events, and finally some go only for Kippur. I’d say that I’m part of the last group. I am concerned, but I usually have some things that come primer on my schedule.

 

2/ You have completed your installation called “Manhattan” not long ago. What was the most challenging part of accomplishing this piece?

CharlElie’s Manhattan Project (2012)

For starters, it was the first time I had to work artistically with a team. I usually work alone, so nobody knows my recipes, my “tricks” and my rituals. But in order to get it accomplished, I had to reveal some secrets to those who accompanied me in this embodiment.

In addition, I didn’t have my tools, and it took some time to get the material with which I’m used to work.

Finally, we had to work fast, because time was running out and the inspiration as well. Fortunately, the team of sculptors and artists who gave me a hand rapidly understood the spine of the project. I showed them a sketchbook, with a lot of drawings that I had done, and they quickly assimilated the challenge. Everyone prepared drafts, and then I corrected their basis.

CharlElie showing drawings of the “Manhattan Project”

Beginning of the project

It was a little trickier to find the tint, color and ingredients that gave the right appearance to the sculptures, (a kind of a dark brown black and indefinable shade). We worked very hard during all of our time spent in this large warehouse plant fallow, abandoned for years, left to itself as an industrial wasteland. I planned to build 70 to 80 sculptures, and we were able to make a hundred. We ended up exhausted, drained, but very pleased with the result.

I hope that this “Manhattan” installation will circulate around the world. I’m sure lots of people would love to see it here in the MOMA.

Some of the “Manhattan” installation by CharlElie (2012)

3/ Which album (or song) will remind you of the summer 2012?

I really liked the new album of Joe Jackson, called “the Duke” that came out in June: ten covers of Duke Ellington, more or less known pieces, including the famous “Caravan“, “Mood Indigo” and “I Ain’t Got Nothing But The Blues“. I think the album is very well produced, both in the style of the time and yet very modern. It fits with the spirit of Joe Jackson. Fast and playful, it seems light but there is depth, as if nothing mattered, apparently. Excellent musicians around him (Iggy Pop even came to a piece), and I am sure that those who will see him live, will come out full of energy.

Click on the image to be redirected to Joe Jackson’s official website.

CharlElie, September 3rd, 2012 – from New York, NY.

September 3, 2012 | Categories: Get his answer | Tags: Art, baseball, CharlElie, Derek Jetter, football, Iggy Pop, Interview, Joe Jackson, manhattan project, MOMA, music, sports, summer 2012, The Duke, The Yankees | Leave A Comment »