ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Jérôme Zonder's Carboniferous Imaginary at Galerie Nathalie Obadia

exhibition · 2026-04-24

At Galerie Nathalie Obadia in Paris, Jérôme Zonder's exhibition titled 'Études pour le portrait de Pierre-François' will be open until July 31, 2020. This immersive display revolves around the fictional character Pierre-François, drawing inspiration from Marcel Carné's film 'Les Enfants du Paradis.' The exhibition showcases a collection of varied drawings along with three large charcoal and graphite portraits. Zonder emphasizes three teenage figures, employing carbon to illustrate a connection with his character. It also alludes to art history, referencing artists like Picasso and Cézanne, and is recognized for its 'fragmented, quasi-cubist composition.' Zonder first captured attention with an artpress cover in April 2011.

Key facts

  • Exhibition 'Études pour le portrait de Pierre-François' by Jérôme Zonder at Galerie Nathalie Obadia, Paris.
  • Runs until July 31, 2020.
  • Features a wall of disparate drawings and three large-scale portraits of Pierre-François.
  • Pierre-François is inspired by the poet-scoundrel from Marcel Carné's 'Les Enfants du Paradis'.
  • Zonder uses only charcoal and graphite, abandoning ink.
  • Press release describes 'quasi-cubist composition'; Millet calls it 'mental cubism'.
  • Carbon is chosen for being a principal molecular component of the human body.
  • Zonder's work references D.H. Lawrence's 'Kangaroo' and the Carboniferous era.
  • Zonder had an artpress cover in April 2011 (issue 377) with a self-portrait.
  • Millet compares Zonder to Jörg Immendorff and David Salle.

Entities

Artists

  • Jérôme Zonder
  • Marcel Carné
  • Pablo Picasso
  • André Derain
  • Paul Cézanne
  • Jörg Immendorff
  • David Salle
  • David Herbert Lawrence
  • Catherine Millet
  • Richard Leydier

Institutions

  • Galerie Nathalie Obadia
  • artpress

Locations

  • Paris
  • France
  • Cloître St Merri II

Sources