For the first time in Brazil, the Belgian artist Julien Friedler presents “The spirit of Boz” exhibition, from October 22 to November 22 2009, at Mube (Sculpture Brazilian Museum). The exhibition is a chance to know his multiple featured work. Friedler has already exposed his work in countries like Belgium, USA, Bulgaria and Italy. “The Spirit of Boz” is also present in countries like Germany, France, Morocco, Rwanda, Togo, Benin, China, Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay and Israel.
Boz is a complex universe created as a “modern myth”. Permeated by philosophical concepts and pop art and art history references, the show brings to light several coexisting mythologies. Just like the word Boz, a construction with no specific meaning, the entire art project has a playful and humorous, but also psychological aspect. Seeking to regain a humanist ideal, the artist shows his displeasure with the worship of celebrity, membership in cults, social poverty and isolation in itself present in our consumer society.
The exhibition has 30 works and it comprehends various fields of art: painting, sculpture, literature, video, photography, installation and performance. There are still works in more different supports, like comics strips, t-shirts and a 7 meters height doll which will be located at the museum external area.
The artist will also be present at the exhibition opening to discuss his art work “BeBoz BeArt”, which took place in many countries. Under the motto that there’s an artist inside everyone, he proposes a new kind of art that, beyond reaching the public, includes them in the creative process.
Before an artist, he is a psychoanalyst. « His art instigates reflection on topics that are part of all human wishes”, says Renata Azevedo, International Relations Director of Mube. Connection with divine, childhood, the Big Bang theory and his large experience as psychoanalyst and writer, arise chaotically in his work, which goes beyond the traditional scope of arts.
“The purpose of ‘Boz Spirit’ is to express a global perception of the world, a complete way of perceiving and revealing existence”, says Jacob Klintowitz, in the release. According to Klintowitz, Friedler’s work is “complete art because he uses all possible elements of language and style. It’s something like an opera from the age of information technology”.
Inside this universe, there’s always the presence of his “persona” Jack Balance, a sort of metaphysical clown revolted against his creator, whose name is a joke on the name of the actor Jack Palance. He always emerges wearing false mustache and nose and a cap that says “Therapy?” (One of his works shows Balance is in a baby chair with a nursing bottle where we can read “whisk”). This character will receive visitors as a seven meters height doll in front of Mube.
Balance will be also replicated in an action in wich performers, dressed as the character, will conduct a sort of public opinion poll. This performance is part of “The Tour of Boz in 80 Years” project that is based on an existentialist questionnaire answered by many people in different parts of the world.  There are questions like “Does God exist?”, “How would you explain this time in which you live?” and “Are you happy?”. According to the artist, his purpose is to create a testimonial work to “keep the spirit of an entire population and to raise no less than a forest of souls”.
For Jacob Klintowitz, the visual shapes of Friedler’s work “resemble those of mass comunication, with fast and humoristic drawing, uniform colors, with delimitated spaces”. The exposition has representative painting works like “Le Shaman” and “La Parole des Anges”, and his three-dimensional view for “Les Demoiselles D’Avignon”, by Picasso. “There’s no claim to the subtle chromaticity of traditional painting or to the classic three-dimensionality”, says Klintowitz.