Leda Bourgogne's 'Safekeep' Exhibition at Gianni Manhattan Features Bleached Velvet Works and Queer References
Leda Bourgogne's exhibition titled 'Safekeep' will be showcased at Gianni Manhattan in Vienna from November 6 to December 20, 2025. This Berlin-based artist features five pieces called 'Safeguard' (all 2025), which consist of velvet stretched over frames and marked with bleach splatters. The inclusion of bronze and brass doorknockers, some in the shape of a lion's head and a satyr's head, turns these pieces into hybrid image-objects. Bourgogne employs a technique of bleaching velvet to achieve ghostly hues. Additionally, pencil drawings are presented on an L-shaped metal fence named 'Cadenas,' decorated with love locks. Among the highlighted works are 'Melancholia,' influenced by Artemisia Gentileschi, and 'Outcasts,' drawing from the Rebel Dykes Archive. The exhibition's name alludes to Yael van der Wouden's 2024 novel 'The Safekeep.'
Key facts
- Leda Bourgogne's solo exhibition 'Safekeep' runs from 6 November to 20 December 2025
- The exhibition features five wall-mounted works titled 'Safeguard' (all 2025)
- Works use velvet splattered with bleach to create tie-dye effects in red, orange, and purple
- Bronze and brass doorknockers are attached to the works, some depicting a lion's head and satyr's head
- Pencil drawings are displayed on an L-shaped metal fence called 'Cadenas' with love locks
- Drawing 'Melancholia' reimagines Artemisia Gentileschi's 'Mary Magdalene as Melancholy' (1622–25)
- Exhibition title references Yael van der Wouden's 2024 novel 'The Safekeep'
- Painting 'PDA' is based on a paparazzi photo of Lily-Rose Depp and 070 Shake
Entities
Artists
- Leda Bourgogne
- Artemisia Gentileschi
- Yael van der Wouden
- Lily-Rose Depp
- 070 Shake
Institutions
- Gianni Manhattan
- ArtReview
- Rebel Dykes Archive
Locations
- Vienna
- Austria
- Berlin
- Germany
- London
- United Kingdom