Adel Abdessemed's Controversial Sculptures at Pompidou and David Zwirner

Adel Abdessemed's retrospective 'Je Suis Innocent' at the Pompidou Centre in Paris features his monumental bronze sculpture 'Coup de Tête' (2011–12), depicting Zinédine Zidane's 2006 World Cup headbutt. The work has drawn crowds since its installation last autumn, achieving significant cultural notoriety. Another piece, 'Cri' (2012), carved from mammoth tusk, reimagines the iconic 1972 'napalm girl' photograph from the Vietnam War. Abdessemed, known for provocative works addressing violence and oppression, often appropriates famous images, as seen in 'Helikoptère (I)' (2007), which mirrors the dimensions of Géricault's 'Raft of the Medusa', and 'Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf' (2011–12), matching Picasso's 'Guernica'. His solo exhibition 'Vase Abominable' opens at David Zwirner in London from 22 February through 30 March. The Pompidou show runs until 7 January, marking Abdessemed as the youngest artist honored with such a retrospective. His Algerian origins and themes of infamy, such as in animal snuff films and razor-wire Christs, position him as a provocateur in contemporary art. The artist describes his acts as 'cries', though 'Cri' raises questions about its political meaning, referencing Allen Ginsberg's 'Howl' and Edvard Munch's 'The Scream'.