Louise Bonnet and Emily Mae Smith present new surrealist painting exhibitions in Paris galleries

Two solo exhibitions in Paris feature contemporary surrealist painting by Louise Bonnet and Emily Mae Smith. Bonnet's show at Galerie Max Hetzler runs until October 30, 2021, while Smith's at Galerie Emmanuel Perrotin continues until December 18, 2021. Both artists, based in Los Angeles and New York respectively, are exhibiting their work in France for the first time. Bonnet's paintings depict elongated, sculptural bodies with phallic limbs and miniature heads, evoking surrealist influences like René Magritte and Salvador Dalí, as noted by Flavia Frigeri in the catalog. Her works include 'Pissing Gorgon' (2021) and 'Treasure Hunter 2' (2021), with water imagery suggesting the unconscious. Smith's exhibition 'Harvesters' centers on a feminized broom symbolizing domestic labor, witchcraft, and art history, alongside wheat-field motifs and references to classical abundance. Her paintings 'The Alchemist' and 'Blush' (2021) blend humor with darker themes. The review by Richard Leydier highlights their shared surrealist heritage mixed with cartoon aesthetics and art historical syncretism.