Paris Exhibitions and Fashion Week Explore Biker Aesthetics and Gender Identity
The latest installment of 'Art & Sport de A à Z' by artpress, the eleventh episode, delves into the representation of bikers in modern art and fashion, coinciding with the Paris 2024 Olympics. At Les filles du Calvaire, Léo Fourdrinier presents 'Venus,' showcasing a Yamaha motorcycle adorned with a Carrara marble fairing. Meanwhile, Louka Anargyros's exhibition, 'The Material Is Leather,' at Septieme Gallery, runs until November 23, 2024, where painted ceramics reinterpret leather suits. Paris Fashion Week highlighted designers such as Jeanne Friot and Robert Mercier, merging sportswear with hybrid styles, while historical influences include Thierry Mugler and Jean-Paul Gaultier. Alexandra Bircken critiques motorcycle gear as feminist symbols, and Tiia Kasurinen's performance is scheduled for June 2024. Anargyros will also participate in exhibitions in Lille and Marseille until December 22, 2024.
Key facts
- Episode 11 of 'Art & Sport de A à Z' was published by artpress for the Paris 2024 Olympic year.
- Léo Fourdrinier's exhibition at Les filles du Calvaire features 'Venus', a Yamaha motorcycle with a Carrara marble fairing.
- Louka Anargyros's solo show 'The Material Is Leather' runs at Septieme Gallery until November 23, 2024.
- Paris Fashion Week designers Jeanne Friot, Robert Mercier, Kevin Germanier, and Victor Weinsanto created looks for the Paris 2024 Olympic ceremonies.
- The biker figure is analyzed for its associations with power, freedom, and queer identity.
- Designer Leevi Ikäheimo's 'No Pain No Glamour' collection presents queer bikers with urban warrior and BDSM aesthetics.
- Tiia Kasurinen's performance 'Courtship Display (Birds of Paradise)' was presented at Théâtre de la Ville in June 2024, with a full version planned for 2026.
- Artist Alexandra Bircken deconstructs motorcycle suits and machines in her feminist work.
Entities
Artists
- Marc Donnadieu
- Léo Fourdrinier
- Louka Anargyros
- Jeanne Friot
- Robert Mercier
- Kevin Germanier
- Victor Weinsanto
- Thierry Mugler
- Jean-Paul Gaultier
- Walter Van Beirendonck
- Leevi Ikäheimo
- Tiia Kasurinen
- Alexandra Bircken
- Édith Piaf
- Marlon Brando
- Serge Gainsbourg
- Brigitte Bardot
- Kenneth Anger
- Robert Mapplethorpe
- Tom of Finland
- Uli of Berlin
Institutions
- artpress
- Les filles du Calvaire
- Septieme Gallery
- Tripostal
- Frac Sud
- Théâtre de la Ville
Locations
- Paris
- France
- Lille
- Marseille
- Los Angeles
- San Francisco
- New York
- Berlin
- Germany
Sources
- artpress —