Agathe May's Xylographic Portraits at Galerie Catherine Putman

Agathe May's exhibition at Galerie Catherine Putman in Paris (April 26–July 13, 2007) presents wood engravings of young women, primarily her daughter Joséphine, whom she has used as a model since childhood. The works juxtapose maternal and artistic gazes, revealing a tension between public images of happiness and underlying unease—for instance, a figure named Camille is shadowed by a hooded vagrant. May's xylographic technique employs circular and linear strokes that form spirals, making the physical process of carving visible and imbuing the images with a meditative quality. She applies paint directly to the plate with brush or roller before printing each proof herself, creating monotypes that vary in hue and are thus unique works, despite the potential for multiples. This approach underscores the subject's constant becoming and perceptible change. The exhibition was reviewed by Jérôme Lebrun.