Nicola L., Romain Slocombe, Julianne Rose: Three Visions of the Female Body
The article reviews three concurrent Parisian exhibitions that explore the female body through photography and installation. Nicola L.'s "Nine Historic Hysteric Women" at Galerie Patricia Dorfman (May 11–June 24) celebrates feminist icons like Frida Kahlo and Marilyn Monroe through her signature "Pénétrables"—interactive canvases inviting bodily participation. Romain Slocombe's "Medical Love" at Galerie Hors Sol (May 12–July 22) presents fetishistic medical-themed photographs of young women, raising questions about the male gaze and the eroticization of suffering. Julianne Rose's "The Flesh and Blood Toy Store" at Galerie 13 Sévigné (May 13–July 1) critiques the commodification and normalization of children's bodies through series like "Flesh and Plastic" and "Kids for Sale," culminating in the hopeful triptych "Autoportrait chantant" which declares survival against alienation.
Key facts
- Nicola L.'s exhibition 'Nine Historic Hysteric Women' ran from May 11 to June 24 at Galerie Patricia Dorfman.
- Romain Slocombe's 'Medical Love' was held from May 12 to July 22 at Galerie Hors Sol.
- Julianne Rose's 'The Flesh and Blood Toy Store' was from May 13 to July 1 at Galerie 13 Sévigné.
- Nicola L. created 'Pénétrables'—rectangular canvases with openings for body parts.
- Slocombe's work focuses on Japanese women with bandages, casts, and medical props.
- Rose's series 'Flesh and Plastic' compares real children to dolls.
- Rose's 'Autoportrait chantant' features a plasticized bust that plays Gloria Gaynor's 'I Will Survive'.
- The article contrasts the celebratory feminism of Nicola L. with the problematic male gaze of Slocombe and the critical dystopia of Rose.
Entities
Artists
- Nicola L.
- Romain Slocombe
- Julianne Rose
- Alberto Greco
- Pierre Restany
- Jacques Henric
- Kiki Picasso
- Loulou Picasso
- Cindy Sherman
- Claude Cahun
- Ana Mendieta
- Eva Hesse
- Barbara Kruger
- Orlan
- Catherine Breillat
- Frida Kahlo
- Marilyn Monroe
- Mona Lisa
- Billie Holliday
- Cleopatra
- Jeanne d'Arc
- Ulrike Meinhof
- Madame Bovary
- Naomi Campbell
- Gloria Gaynor
- J. G. Ballard
- Jean-Pierre Klein
- Spinoza
Institutions
- Galerie Patricia Dorfman
- Galerie Hors Sol
- Galerie 13 Sévigné
- Jeu de Paume
- Bazooka
Locations
- Paris
- France
- Ibiza
- Spain
- New York
- United States
- Los Angeles
- London
- United Kingdom
- Havana
- Cuba
- Great Wall of China
- China
- Neuilly
- Japan
- Australia
Sources
- artpress —