Hubert Duprat Retrospective at MONA Hobart

The first major retrospective of French artist Hubert Duprat is on view at the Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) in Hobart, Tasmania, from December 7, 2013 to July 28, 2014. Curated by Olivier Varenne, the exhibition showcases the astonishing diversity of Duprat's practice, from his iconic caddisfly larvae works using gold and gemstones to pieces incorporating coral, breadcrumbs, foam, flint, wood, bone, mosaic, nails, paraffin wax, quartz crystals, and child's modeling clay. Notable works include "Costa Brava Coral," a faux neural network of red coral and breadcrumbs; "Tribulum," combining floral foam and knapped flint; "Both Root and Fruit," a four-meter-long assemblage evoking seaweed or antlers; and a massive block of child's modeling clay. Another piece features 200,000 magnetites forming a Darth Vader-like chain. The exhibition also includes a catalog with an essay by MONA founder David Walsh, who calls Duprat's caddisfly works "among the most important pieces of contemporary art." A concurrent exhibition, "Hubert Duprat, Des gestes de la pensée," curated by G. Désanges, runs at La Verrière (Fondation d'entreprise Hermès) in Brussels until July 12, 2014.