An old proverb from Medieval legal Latin that says “Exceptio probat regulam in casibus non exceptis,” where it translates to, “the exception confirms the rule in cases not excepted,” is critical in such aspects; Philosophy, Social Sciences, Law and such. This is a phrase first used by Cicero against his case with Lucius Balbus in 56 B.C. It is a rule that justifies something that contradicts a rule. A highlighted rule effectively says one is important but it does not imply that the unhighlighted rule is less substantial. On the other hand, just because the exception of something makes the rule irrelevant.

However, through the tale of Allain Hablo’s latest and newest solo exhibition here at Arte Bettina, our artist, Allain Hablo demonstrated the exception of a rule through scraping away paint, creating texture from a rectangular shape with horizontal line. Like a closed wall for instance, where it resembles a fully encapsulated rule, there will be an exception that doesn’t invalidate or makes the rule insignificant. A gate–like the way Allain Hablo grazed off a mundane exit on each of his canvases, it exposed a corner, a side, or a part of his piece, figuratively pictures the exception. See through Allain Hablo’s collection of rule-proving exceptions and let it take you back to Ancient Roman’s philosophy and logic.

Rule-proving exceptions provide us a glimpse of Ancient Rome, specifically during the defense of Lucius Balbus, he was granted Roman Citizenship despite not being Roman by birth. Cicero was able to shed light and twist the logic that limits the exceptions when something is greatly forbidden. The proverb was the center point of this case which resembles Hablo’s gates as how Cicero made a logical phrase. The cases that do not cover the exception were permitted. Breaking of a certain rule affirms it, and affirms the exception of it as well.

Text by Anjanette