As part of the Didaktika project, the Museum designs educational spaces and organizes activities that complement the exhibitions in an effort to provide tools and resources, both in the galleries and online, to facilitate the appreciation and understanding of the works on display.

With the Musical Experiences of 1961, Jean Dubuffet embarked on a series of experiments with sound. As in his graphic work, the specifics of the tools and materials that he used shaped the resulting creations.

For these “experiences,” Dubuffet often played musical instruments in unusual ways, and he even manipulated the recordings to create surprising effects. The music itself does not rely on basic harmonic, melodic, or rhythmic norms. The instruments Dubuffet used ranged from contemporary to antiquated, and many of them were collected throughout his international travels. He even altered some instruments to change their timbre. He also incorporated vocal interventions in these compositions.

Dubuffet worked on these musical experiences, alone or in collaboration with the Danish painter Asger Jorn. Some of these pieces have been released as limited editions.

Through his visual and musical creations, Dubuffet always sought to transgress the accepted rules and categories of art. His innovative spirit led him to integrate painting, sculpture, sound, and movement in the performance Cukcoo Bazaar (Coucou Bazar), a “great animated painting.” This work premiered in 1973 at The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York.

Click on the link below to enjoy a sample of Dubuffet’s Musical Experiences

Jean Dubuffet and Asger Jorn during their musical experiences, Paris, 1961
© Archives Fondation Dubuffet, Paris (photo: Jean Weber)