Kennedy Yanko Brings Paint Skins and Scrap Metal to the Cité de l'architecture in Paris
Kennedy Yanko's creations, consisting of acrylic poured onto the studio floor and then shaped into thick sheets, are elegantly draped over reclaimed metal frames obtained from scrapyards. Her artwork is showcased at the Cité de l'architecture et du patrimoine in the galerie des moulages, featuring sculptures crafted specifically for this venue. Visitors experience the pieces in a treasure-hunt manner, which contrasts sharply with the grand scale of the casts. Yanko's figures, reminiscent of a damaged Victoire de Samothrace, subvert conventional depictions, allowing metal to imitate fabric. The exhibition, which delves into themes of energy and sensuality, is open from 16 October 2026 to 3 January 2027 at 1 place du Trocadéro, Paris, daily except Tuesday from 11am to 7pm, and until 9pm on Thursdays; tickets are €13, reduced to €10, and free for those under 18.
Key facts
- Kennedy Yanko pours acrylic on the studio floor, dries it and cuts it into sheets she calls paint skins
- The paint skins are mounted on frames of salvaged metal sourced from scrapyards, with dents and rust preserved
- All sculptures in the show were conceived specifically for the galerie des moulages
- The display has no set route or chronology, encountered like a treasure hunt among the casts
- One figure is compared to a wrecked Victoire de Samothrace
- Enslavement to the body plays on the front and back of the set
- Yanko trained in dance and at the Living Theatre in New York
- Exhibition dates: 16 October 2026 to 3 January 2027 at 1 place du Trocadéro, 75116 Paris
Entities
Artists
- Kennedy Yanko
- François Morellet
- Man Ray
- Ma Kelu
- Bruce Lee
- David Cronenberg
Institutions
- Cité de l'architecture et du patrimoine
- Living Theatre
- No Name
Locations
- Paris
- France
- New York
- United States
- Trocadéro
- Samothrace
- Greece
- Shanghai
- China
- 1 place du Trocadéro
- 75116