Marc Le Mené's Trompe-l'Œil at Galerie Pascal Gabert

Marc Le Mené's exhibition at Galerie Pascal Gabert in Paris, running from December 9, 2003 to January 10, 2004, presents a new series that blurs the boundaries between collage, drawing, and photography. The artist, known for his trompe-l'œil illusions, now questions the medium itself: is the drawing made on the print or before the shot? The photographic print, typically a multiple, becomes a unique piece through the artist's hand-painted interventions. Key works include three decompositions—'Tu disais ?' (2003), 'Moi, rien' (2003), and 'Ah bon !' (2003)—gouaches on photographic paper that blend caricatures of Aztec idols, flayed portraits, and jovial memento mori. Four portraits use anthropomorphic glass bottles dressed and made up by the artist, each given distinct character through lighting, angle, and retouching. A small series of degenerate, mocking couples derived from glass containers evokes Picabia. The exhibition also features a pure melancholy expressed through visual tricks, combining humor, disillusionment, and poetry. Philippe Ducat's text compares Le Mené to an Oulipian, citing Jacques Roubaud's formula: 'a rat that builds the labyrinth from which it proposes to escape.' Ducat also notes influences from Hogarth and Raymond Queneau, highlighting Le Mené's elegant, so-british non-sense.