Studio of the South

Conceived by American artist Laura Owens, with Head of LUMA Residency Julie Boukobza, editor Asha Schechter, and graphic designer Tiffany Malakooti, this publication looks back on the Studio of the South residency, founded in Arles by Owens and undertaken by 23 international artists between September 2020 and July 2023. Commissioned by LUMA Foundation, this unique and joyful residency program allowed them to leave their mark on a specific domestic setting located in the historical center of Arles, drawing on the spirit of artistic community dear to Vincent Van Gogh during his sojourn in the Provençal city. The idea of this project was first born in 2018 when Owens was invited to conceive a solo exhibition for Arles’ Fondation Vincent Van Gogh—eventually held in 2021. She envisioned the possibility of giving birth to the Studio of the South dreamt of by the Dutch artist.

During her residency Owens first created handmade ceramics, elaborate site-specific mosaics, silk-screened curtains, hand-embroidered pillows, paintings, drawings, and murals, before she subsequently invited 23 artists to continue the project. During their stays, which ranged from a few weeks to several months, these artists lived and worked in the house, in most cases one after the other, although occasionally at the same time. The domestic environment of this house-cum-studio was thus shaped by the imprints that each person left behind. It was invested and embellished with multiple artistic contributions—drawings and paintings on the walls, installations in situ, texts, newspapers, collages, painted furniture—and animated by events programmed by the residents. By inhabiting the house, the artists gradually transformed it into a total, collective, and immersive work.

Studio of the South interrogates how the spaces in which artists live and create influence their production. It also examines the promises offered by collaboration as a form of artistic practice, and the importance of leaving large urban centers to work differently. Lastly, it discloses the notion of the domestic sphere as a place of artistic experimentation.

Introduced by Laura Owens, the book features contributions by Bice Curiger, Maja Hoffmann, and Julie Boukobza, as well as testimonials by the 23 artists in residency—all collaborators, friends, and pupils of Owens. The visual documentation includes images of in situ artworks, a comprehensive photo-reportage of the house as if the reader were following a special guided tour, facsimilies from the guestbook, and residency ephemera.

Published with LUMA Foundation.

Contributors: Laura Owens, Maja Hoffmann, Bice Curiger, Julie Boukobza; and Candida Alvarez, Alvaro Barrington, Julie Beaufils, Nova Bryan, Julien Ceccaldi, Jacob Eisenmann, Gabriele Garavaglia, Charlotte Houette, Gary Indiana, Parker Ito, François Lancien-Guilberteau, Sadie Laska, Miriam Laura Leonardi, Eric Palgon, Blake Rayne, Adee Roberson, Andy Robert, Clément Rodzielski, Asha Schechter, Alake Shilling, Naoki Sutter-Shudo, Alicia Vaïsse, Mona Varichon, and Alexander Zevin.