Sophie T. Lvoff's 'Crazy Boots' at In extenso explores pregnancy, books, and bar culture

Sophie T. Lvoff's solo exhibition 'Crazy Boots' at In extenso in Clermont-Ferrand transforms the gallery into a bar environment. The artist created 47 ceramic book-bottles with Romain Kloeckner, referencing forty-seven books read during pregnancy and postpartum. A window sticker depicting zoomed-in grapes tricks passersby, while inside, a bar-cum-bookcase serves calimochos with Pepsi and white wine spritzers. The exhibition title comes from a nickname the artist discovered through gossip. Lvoff's practice, described as 'photographie plus...' since 2008, frames non-reality within reality through objects, language, and space. References include Guillaume Bijl's situation-installations, Malevich's monochromes, and the U.S. TV show Cheers. Previous collaborations with Elia David at Fondation d'entreprise Pernod Ricard and Medium Argent in Rouen inform recurring motifs. The Blue Book exam booklet, with its 'Use your imagination' phrase, serves as conceptual backdrop for themes of display, secrets, and knowledge.