Adrianna Wallis Traces Nazi-Looted Grandmother's Art in Podcast and Exhibition

Artist Adrianna Wallis (born 1981) discovered in May 2021 that her paternal grandmother, painter Diane Esmond (1910–1981), had her work destroyed by the Nazis. Historians Patricia Helletzgruber and Sophie Juliard contacted Wallis, revealing that 46 of Esmond's paintings were listed as 'anéanti' (destroyed) in ERR inventories. The family's Paris apartment at 54 avenue d'Iéna was completely emptied by the Nazi administration, which also used the building as ERR headquarters. Wallis created a podcast for Arte Radio titled 'Il restera la gravité' blending documentary, autobiography, and sound installation. In 2024, she staged the performance '11 petites soucoupes' at the Musée d'Art et d'Histoire du Judaïsme, where 40 participants recited looted-object inventories from memory. An exhibition 'Il restera la gravité' opens May 5 at Galerie Anne-Laure Buffard, pairing Esmond's works with Wallis's creations including photographs 'Vie silencieuse avec raisins' (2023) and pastel 'Étoffes de valeurs diverses pour natures mortes' (2023). Esmond's paintings 'Le Clown' (1935) and 'La Dame au singe' (1935) are displayed in the museum's 'Itinéraire d'œuvres spoliées' alongside works by Fédor Löwenstein. Wallis's works have entered collections of Musée Carnavalet, Musée de Grenoble, and Musée d'Art et d'Histoire du Judaïsme. A performance at Jeu de Paume is planned for 2027. Wallis co-founded Villa Glovettes, a residency in Villard-de-Lans using empty tourist apartments.