I felt that I could not cope any more with the overgrowing demands of trade

"I like this short phrase which mixes two very different registers: the intimate confession at the start, while the second part is a cold critique of capitalism."
Emmanuelle Lainé

For the opening of their new shop in the former premises of famous fashion house Maison Margiela, the Brussels Saint-Martin Bookshop invited Emmanuelle Lainé to create an installation. As is often the case, Lainé builds on the history of the location and adds photographs and objects from her personal collection. For the first time, she shows her photographs in situ on free-standing elements, in line with the industrial character of the space.

Emmanuelle Lainé's sculptures, archives, photographs and installations casts doubt on what is real and what is not, on what is present and what's been left behind. With this installation, she refers to the mounting pressures of the marketplace. The setting of the former fashion studio and a quote from Martin Margiela's farewell message when he stepped away from the business ("I felt that I could not cope any more with the overgrowing demands of trade") conjure the spirit of the enigmatic fashion designer. In doing so, the work prompts reflection on how capitalism devours creativity.