Art Of The Day Weekly

Sexless Biennale

VENICE – It is the oldest biennale in the world and it continues to break records: this edition of 2009 included 77 national representations, from Argentina to Venezuela, not omitting le Gabon, Iceland and Latvia. Antoher record is that of the «collateral» events: there are 38, of which «Save the Poetry» and «Palestine c/o Venice», or the opening of the very much awaited Pinault Centre of contemporary art of Punta della Dogana, designed by Tadao Ando, and the Vedova Museum, by Renzo Piano. That is not all! Certain events do not correspond to any of these categories. It is the case of «100 sexes of artists», a project Belgian artist Jacques Charlier has been carrying out since 1973, in which he tries to give shape (largely symbolic and ridiculous) to the sexes of Duchamp, Pollock and others. The organizers found the idea – though officially supported (and financed) by the French Community of Belgium and already presented in various European museums - too offensive for the «common sense of modesty». Having been outlawed on land, the one hundred sexes found a floating refuge. They are swinging on the lagoon on board a lewd boat that will anchor nevertheless in front of Saint-Marc. On a well chosen dock, that of the Martyrs…

Learn more about the One hundred sexes of Jacques Charlier and the ship that will dock on Riva dei Sette Martiri.

The Punta della Dogana Center of contemporary art

The Vedova Museum at the Magazzini del Sale, on the Zattere

Middle-aged Matisse

MADRID – The organizers’ presupposition is clear: the Matisse of the avant-gardes (prior to WW I) is very often shown, the Matisse of the final years (the cut out papers) is also. But the Matisse of the period between the two is at a loss of images… hence the chronologic period cut out, 1917-41. It is illustrated by nearly 80 works – paintings, drawings as well as sculptures – borrowed from some fifty different institutions. Given the crisis and the departure of his Russian clients, who commissioned huge compositions, Matisse decided to isolate himself in the light of Nice. He went through some «bad periods», at the beginning of the 1930s for example, during which he spent many years without painting on his easel. But he constantly improves his talent, searching for new ways through drawing, through nudes, in the themes of the balcony and the window, in geometric motifs from Islam. In 1941, he almost died following a serious operation. He survived and over the last twelve years he created a totally new chapter …

Look for the man

PARIS – Yes, look for the man. You will not find him! But you will fin d Sonia Delaunay, Joan Mitchell, Vieira da Silva, Frida Kahlo, Louise Bourgeois, Sophie Calle… The new presentation of the collection of the Musée national d’art moderne intends to be revolutionary. As the curators specify, no permanent fund of a major institution had ever presented women artists alone. This is undoubtedly true, even if we have seen similar initiatives. In New York for example, the Brooklyn Museum opened the Sackler Center for Feminist Art two years ago, combining an installation by Judy Chicago and temporary exhibits. Now it is the turn for Paris to take the initiative, and the Guerilla Girls must be smiling happily. Was it really so necessary? We have known for a long time that there are great woman artists. We can easily imagine the revolution that would have been triggered off had a collection «men only» been announced. In this occasion, it is paradoxically the absence of a hostile reaction that demonstrates the road still to be covered towards equality …

Maurice Denis' passions in Brittany

PONT-AVEN – Born in Granville, Maurice Denis built a strong link to Brittany since 1888, in the context of the school of Pont-Aven, of his admiration for Gauguin and his friendship with Sérusier (with whom he founded the Nabi movement). The link would last a long time, though it changed quarters. Once he converted to classicism, Maurice Denis abandoned somewhat Pont-Aven and spent his family vacations at Perros-Guirec. There he bought villa Silencio in 1908, and welcomed among others Gide and Valéry. This exhibition, which aims at presenting the results of this Briton inspiration, is presented in two parts: at Pont-Aven, the Synthetism works, clearly influenced by Gauguin; at the house in Roche Jagu, the later paintings, of which many lent by his family have never been shown before to the public: beach views, crosses or sacred compositions such as his Magnificat from 1909.

The domaine of La Roche Jagu

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Pious images

PARIS - A Virgin of the Assumption embroidered on silk (XIXth century), typical Spanish polychrome angels typical of Spanish colonial art, an ivory Christ in his arched frame, a Holy Woman with a book sculpted in tender wood (XVIIIth century). These lots do not necessarily fit into the contemporary art classification but which have been one of the major expressions of popular art for centuries. The sale of the Collin du Bocage study brings together works done over five hundred years, starting at a few hundred euros (patinated bronze candelabra from the XVIIIth century, a collection dish, stone font), a little more for pious paintings of the XIXth century or the worked furniture (such as this XVII century tabernacle door in sculpted walnut, estimated at 400 euros) and can even go much higher: 6 000 euros for a Virgin in profile on an enamel plate from the Limousin region, 15 000 euros for a statue in limestone of Catherine of Alexandria stepping on emperor Maximien, 20 000 euros for a Christ carrying his cross by Leandro Bassano, up to 45 000 euros for this Vertu dénudée par l’amour (Virtue unveiled by love) in boxwood, sculpted in Germany towards 1600.