Monograph Explores Carole Benzaken's Pop-Infused Painting

A new monograph on Carole Benzaken, published by Skira Flammarion and Galerie N. Obadia, examines the artist's career through thematic chapters. Benzaken, born in 1964 and a graduate of the École nationale supérieure des beaux-arts in Paris, participated in the 1999 group exhibition 'Peindre la peinture' in Seoul. The book dedicates extensive analysis to her series, including twenty pages on her tulip paintings, where she draws an analogy between the flower and femininity. By focusing on tulips, Benzaken early on moved beyond subject matter toward conceptual concerns, linking 17th-century still life and vanitas traditions with contemporary painting. Her use of vivid colors, broad brushstrokes, and blurred effects aligns her with pop art. She incorporates imagery from Lady Diana's funeral, Los Angeles (where she resided), and a trip to Poland, reflecting a cinematic approach. Her work engages with time and memory, aiming to reactivate the viewer's imaginative projection, which she sees as dulled by screens and canvases. The monograph includes an interview and detailed reproductions. Marie Maertens contributes to the text.