Cyprien Gaillard's 'Humpty Dumpty' Explores Ruin and Reconstruction Across Two Paris Venues
French artist Cyprien Gaillard, born in 1980, showcases 'Humpty Dumpty', a dual-part exhibition curated by Rebecca Lamarche-Vadel at both Palais de Tokyo and Lafayette Anticipations in Paris. The title alludes to a character from a nursery rhyme, representing a failed attempt to revert to an original condition, which mirrors the restoration efforts in Paris in preparation for the 2024 Olympics. Featured at Palais de Tokyo are works like 'Love Locks', 'The Lake Arches', and damaged gargoyles from Reims Cathedral, alongside marble slabs, Polaroids, and video installations. At Lafayette Anticipations, 'Dumpty' pays tribute to Gaillard's friend Gaël Foucher, emphasizing the restoration of 'Le Défenseur du Temps'. The exhibition is open until January 8, 2023.
Key facts
- Cyprien Gaillard's 'Humpty Dumpty' is a two-part exhibition at Palais de Tokyo and Lafayette Anticipations in Paris.
- The exhibition is curated by Rebecca Lamarche-Vadel.
- The title references a nursery rhyme character reinterpreted by Lewis Carroll.
- The exhibition explores themes of ruin, reconstruction, time, memory, and the impact of the 2024 Olympics on Paris.
- At Palais de Tokyo, 'Humpty' includes works such as 'Love Locks', 'The Lake Arches', gargoyles from Reims Cathedral, and video installations 'Ocean II Ocean' and 'Formation'.
- 'Ocean II Ocean' was presented at the 2019 Venice Biennale.
- At Lafayette Anticipations, 'Dumpty' features the restored clock 'Le Défenseur du Temps' by Jacques Monestier, with a soundtrack by Laraaji.
- The exhibition runs until January 8, 2023.
Entities
Artists
- Cyprien Gaillard
- Rebecca Lamarche-Vadel
- Lewis Carroll
- Ricardo Bofill
- Giorgio de Chirico
- Daniel Turner
- Käthe Kollwitz
- Jacques Monestier
- Laraaji
- Gaël Foucher
- Pierre Huyghe
- Philippe Parreno
- Ludovico Pratesi
Institutions
- Palais de Tokyo
- Lafayette Anticipations
- Galerie Sprüth Magers
- Biennale di Venezia
- Centre Pompidou
- Fondation Lafayette
- Artribune
Locations
- Parigi
- Francia
- Berlino
- Los Angeles
- New York
- Düsseldorf
- India
- Venezia
- Italia
- Reims
- Parigi, avenue du Président Wilson 13
- Parigi, rue du Plâtre 9