Openspace Gallery in Paris is paying tribute to Miss Van with a special retrospective. The show, curated by Samantha Longhi and Nicolas Chenus, presents more than 90 works from 2003 to today, and is running until June 14th. Spanning across 15 years, the exhibition highlights the French artist’s prolific body of works on paper, wood, and canvas. It’s quite an emotional journey for a viewer as they take a look at her varied sources of inspiration and her signature female characters set in diverse oniric situations.
Upon entering the gallery, early works with acrylic on canvas are featured alongside the most recent oil paintings from the “Gitanas” series. Key highlights include her little madonnas, princess, and bailarinas, along with a room dedicated to the circus with artworks from her 2008 “Still Little Magic” series. Quite important is also the Atame painting which graced the cover of the Juxtapoz magazine. The lower ground space hosts the Hypnotic Flower, a wooden installation that was featured at the MOCA in LA in 2011 for Arts in the Streets and also her masks series.
The evolution of her aesthetic is simply spectacular. Her lolitas have blossomed into sensual gitanas with a stunning colour palette and precision of the brushstrokes.
Portraits by Julie Morize, exhibition views by Butterfly.
Discuss Miss Van here.
