Ed Ruscha
‘Tom Sawyer Paintings’
Gagosian, Paris
Until December 22, 2022
Californian legend Ed Ruscha presents his work for the first time at Gagosian Paris. As the title of the exhibition suggests, the artist takes inspiration from classical American culture – in particular, Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876). A famous scene from the novel is evoked through a series of acrylic paintings depicting naturalistic renditions of wooden slats. By including the detailed reproduction of an industrial stamp in the corner of certain works, the artist demonstrates his extraordinary dexterity. A second room features acrylic paintings on linen, in which Ruscha incorporates the words ‘metro, petro, neuro, psycho’ as well as a spectacular hologram – the highlight of the show.
Suzy Lake
‘On Stage’
mfc-michèle didier, Paris
Until December 23, 2022
The American-Canadian artist Suzy Lake – whose work was on view during the inaugural edition of Paris+ par Art Basel at mfc-michèle didier’s booth – is the subject of a solo show at the gallery in the 3rd arrondissement. ‘On Stage’ focuses on historical photographs from the 1970s, with a particular emphasis on portraiture. Using herself as the model for this series, the artist explores how our identity is shaped by ourselves and society, confirming her status as a pioneer of her generation.
Théo Mercier
‘Outremonde: The Sleeping Chapter’
Conciergerie, Paris
Until January 8, 2023
For the third and final chapter of his project ‘Outremonde’, Théo Mercier takes over the Conciergerie. Under the vaults of the monument, beds of sand have appeared, watched over by dogs. Mattresses, wrinkled sheets, and abandoned pillows suggest that their dreamers have left this world to travel on to fantastical lands. Ready to vanish in a gust of wind, the beds and their guardians nevertheless are frozen in the Salle des Gens d’Armes, quiet but steeped in history and stories.
Justin Fitzpatrick
‘Angiosperm Telephone’
Sultana, Paris
Until January 14, 2023
Justin Fitzpatrick’s paintings and sculptures showcase a rare ability: to combine seemingly disparate elements into limpid, coherent tableaux. The works in the Irish artist’s current exhibition at Sultana feature Art Nouveau patterns, religious figures, car-seat covers, butterflies, and even the name of an antihistamine drug. Like early Renaissance miniatures, the resulting works bridge formal clarity with narrative mystery. They also pay homage to the late British artist and filmmaker Derek Jarman, a lover of flowers, drama, and ambiguity – all cornerstones of Fitzpatrick’s latest body of work.
Group show
‘Je suis la chaise’
Galerie Chantal Crousel, Paris
Until February 4, 2023
There are motifs artists have never tired of depicting, regardless of geography or time. The humble (and sometimes not-so-humble) chair is one of them, as showcased in this group exhibition. Titled after an eponymous show at the gallery in 2007 by Michael Krebber, it features a variety of works depicting, imitating, recontextualizing, and making fun of the mundane object. Wade Guyton turns its metallic hardware into serpentine sculptures, while René Magritte shows it on top of a cat, conjuring a two-part riddle this author has not yet been able to decipher. A concurrent solo show by Haegue Yang, ‘VIP’s Union Petite’, also featuring chairs, works as a complement to what can be seen as an invitation to rest our bodies – but not our minds.
Group show
‘À mains nues’
MAC VAL, Vitry-sur-Seine
Until September 2023
After exploring the relationship to earth over the past year, MAC VAL now presents ‘À mains nues’. In this group exhibition, artworks by over 40 artists have been gathered together around the theme of the relationship between our body and the outside world: to others, the future, reality, and dreams. The body is alive and is consequently mortal; it has its own language and tells its own story in multiple ways, notably through the hands – powerful instruments in art and life. ‘À mains nues’ invites us to reinvent ourselves, to go against expectations and to write our own stories. Kader Attia, Mathilde Denize, Melik Ohanian, and Annette Messager lead the way.
Paris+ par Art Basel editorial team (Patrick Steffen, Karim Crippa, Juliette Amoros)