THE
INSTIGATOR
Art & Culture magazine
NEWS
Shen Wei / Photo © Courtesy of Flowers Gallery
SHEN WEI
A SEASON PARTICULAR
FLOWERS GALLERY
LONDON
New York-based Chinese-American artist Shen Wei returned to Flowers Gallery with his solo show A Season Particular.
The exhibition of sensuous photographs explores notions of gender, form and desire, reflecting a practice which Shen Wei describes as “finding the spiritual and abstract similarities between our bodies and nature and emphasising the harmony, fragility, and interconnectedness of both.”
At Flowers, closely cropped figurative forms are interspersed with images of plants and blossoms, evoking a dreamlike sense of contemplation and calm. According to Shen Wei:
“The unique beauty and interplay between the human body and nature aim to elicit a sense of awe, wonder, and appreciation for the world around us, as well as a way to explore more profound spiritual and philosophical questions about the nature of existence and the purpose of life."
Shen Wei / Flowers Gallery, London (UK)
4 May - 3 June 2023
/ Zoltan Alexander
60TH
VENICE BIENNALE
VENICE
FOREIGNERS EVERYWHERE
The 60th edition of Venice Biennale, titled “Foreigners Everywhere,” inspired by Claire Fontaine Stranieri Ovunque (2004), and curated by Adriano Pedrosa, Artistic Director of the São Paulo Museum of Art, featured over 330 artists from 80 different countries.
The Biennale opened on 17 April 2024, for preview days, and from the 20 April to the public until late November.
“Foreigners Everywhere” is a testament to how artists have always travelled around the world, how they moved around in various circumstances through cities, countries and continents, something that has only accelerated since the late 20th century, even now, in our current critical time, ironically with increasing restrictions regarding the dislocation or displacement of people. It is indeed time to give voice to vital matters such as identity, nationalism and acceptance that involve most nations. Not a small remit in today’s world.
“The backdrop for the work is widespread with multifarious crises concerning the movement and existence of people in various countries, nations, territories, and borders, which reflect the perils and pitfalls of language, translation, nationality, expressing differences and disparities conditioned by identity, nationality, race, gender, sexuality, freedom, wealth, and greed. The Biennale’s primary focus is thus artists who are themselves foreigners, immigrants, expatriates, diasporic, exiled, or refugees. Migration and decolonization are key themes here.” curator Adriano Pedrosa
Full article will be published shortly.
60th Venice Biennale, Venice (Italy)
VIP pre-opening
17 - 19 April 2024
Public opening
20 April - 24 November 2024
/ The Instigator
"Pink Cloud" purification at the Fondazione Sandretto, Isola di Sangiacomo / Video
© Courtesy of Zoltan Alexander
The season’s most anticipated photographic art fair, Photo London returns to Somerset House between 16 - 19 May 2024, with a VIP Preview Day on Wednesday 15 May, what promises to be a truly spectacular 9th edition.
Featuring over a hundred exhibitors, new and returning ones, from around the world across five continents. Photo London presents an unrivalled opportunity to discover and collect exquisite photographic works that span the past, present and future of the medium. Following their tradition, Photo London will present three major exhibitions including French photographer Valérie Belin, as part of 2024 Master of Photography.
Belin investigates the tension between the superficial appearance of objects and their true nature, between reality and artificiality.
THE INSTIGATOR will be present to cover the photographic fair, their most current galleries and photographers.
Full article will be published shortly.
Photo London / Somerset House, London (UK)
16 – 19 May 2024
/ The Instigator
PHOTO
LONDON
SOMERSET HOUSE
LONDON
"Everything Has Beauty, but Not Everyone Sees It" by Kweku Yeboah / Photo © Courtesy of Bright Gallery
Bourse de Commerce / Video © Courtesy of Zoltan Alexander
ANRI SALA
TIME NO LONGER
BOURSE DE COMMERCE
PINAULT COLLECTION
PARIS
TIME NO LONGER
In the heart of Bourse de Commerce, Pinault Collection, Paris, in the Rotonde, created by Japanese architect Tadao Ando, the exhibition A second of Eternity ends with Berlin-based Albanian Anri Sala’s spectacular video installation Time No Longer (2021), a scale never seen before in France.
The video is presented on a giant curved screen embracing the cylinder of the concrete wall. Sala’s transformative, time-based works are constructed through multiple relationships between image, architecture and sound. At the Bourse de Commerce a carte blanche was given to the artist to create a spectacular epilogue.
“What interests me is how sound can be imbued with reality.” Anri Sala
Anri Sala / Bourse de Commerce, Pinault Collection, Paris (France)
14 October 2022 – 16 January 2023
/ The Instigator
Entrance of La Mamounia at 1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair / Photo © Courtesy of Zoltan Alexander
Photo © Courtesy of Denis Dailleux / Galery 127
Photo © Courtesy of Artsi Ifrac and Mous Lamrabat
Photo © Courtesy of Prince Gyasi / Maät Gallery
Photo © Courtesy of Ismail Zaidy / Maät Gallery
1:54 MARRAKESH
2024
CONTEMPORARY
AFRICAN ART FAIR
LA MAMOUNIA / DADA
7 - 11 FEBRUARY 2024
MARRAKESH
Twelve years ago, Founder, Director Touria El Glaoui launched 1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair first in London, during FREEZE Week in October, at Somerset House, followed by New York, and Marrakesh.
1:54 Marrakesh is one of the most anticipated events in February each year, gathering 1 continent and 54 countries. The art fair is dedicated to contemporary art from Africa and the African diaspora.
The 5th edition took place between 7-11 February 2024, at the luxurious La Mamounia hotel, expanding this year their physical footprint by inaugurating a second location at DaDa, with many returning favourite galleries from Paris including AFIKARIS, Nil Gallery, MAGNIN-A, Galerie Nathalie Obadia, and other local satellite exhibitions at the Fondation Montresso, Galerie 127, Malhoun Gallery, and Loft Gallery.
Following the ambitious list of participant artists in 2023, Kehinde Wiley, Youssef Nabil, Amine El Gotaibi, Eric van Hove, Mous Lamrabat, Prince Gyasi, Hassan Hajjaj, Ismail Zaidy, and Karim Chater of Style Beldi, in 2024, the list continued with Mous Lamrabat, Ousmane Bâ, Amoako Boafo, Barthélémy Toguo, Delphine Diallo, Jean David Nkot, Zanele Muholi, Amine El Gotaibi, Jajjah by Hassan Hajjaj and Yasmina Alaoui in her incredible remote atelier.
The art fair had many private events including the opening & closure parties at DaDa, a cocktail at Hotel El Fenn, a film projection at Musée Yves Saint Laurent, and a sumptuous dinner given by Michelin-star Chef Georgiana Viou at the Hotel Mandarin Oriental Marrakesh.
1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair, Marrakesh (Morocco)
7 - 11 February 2024
1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair, London (UK)
during FRIEZE week
/ 9 - 13 October 202
/ The Instigator
"If the Shoe Fits" / Photo © Courtesy of Mous Lamrabat
1:54
MARRAKESH 2024
Fondation Montresso / video © Courtesy of Zoltan Alexander
"Lac Rose" Collage by Ousmane Bâ / © Courtesy of Guido Ousmane Contini
El Fenn Marrakesh courtyard / Photo © Courtesy of Zoltan Alexander
1:54 MARRAKESH
2020
CONTEMPORARY
AFRICAN ART FAIR
LA MAMOUNIA
22 - 23 FEBRUARY 2020
MARRAKESH
Discover our previously published three-part reviews on 1:54 Marrakesh 2020 edition, our most in-dept reportage on the city, the culture, the art fair, the participant artists and international galleries.
1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair, Marrakesh (Morocco)
22 - 23 February 2020
/ The Instigator
(front) Loïc Le Gaillard and Julien Lombrail / Photos © Courtesy of Ladbroke Hall
Carpenters Workshop Gallery
LADBROKE HALL OPENING
CARPENTERS WORKSHOP
LONDON
After years of careful planning, the London-based French gallery Carpenters Workshop announced their new venue at Ladbroke Hall, that opened on 27 April 2023.
The West London location on 4000m2 is an immersive destination for contemporary art, design, culture and gastronomy, serving as the gallery’s London flagship including the restaurant Pollini, photographic studios, a hidden garden and a space for events.
Ladbroke Hall is an grand opportunity for gallery founders Loïc Le Gaillard and Julien Lombrail to branch out of the traditional gallery model into a new concept for displaying, creating, and experiencing art and design.
In 2023, Ladbroke Hall opened with artist David Adjaye’s exhibition YAAWA, visionary architect Zanine Caldas’s DENUNCIA, and an amazing concert featuring soul singer Cherise.
A new body of work of celebrated architect and artist Sir David Adjaye OM OBE features eight limited-edition objects that reflect his investigation into the materiality and historic resonance of bronze as a medium. An exploration of the many facets of this visionary architect and artist Zanine Caldas’s work where pure, raw wood is masterfully tamed into iconic pieces of natural beauty.
Ladbroke Hall is undoubtably the best could have happened to the London art scene.
Ladbroke Hall, Carpenters Workshop, London (UK)
Opening 27 April 2023
/ The Instigator
"The Crossing of the Appearances" / Photo © Courtesy of Zoltan Alexander
LAURENCE BENAÏM
WITH
ROMAIN BRAU
CENTRE POMPIDOU
PARIS
THE CROSSING OF APPERANCES
Who knows fashion and style in Paris better than writer, curator Laurence Benaïm, and how dull would Paris be without actor, performance artist Romain Brau?
They paired for the entire 20th century modern art on the 5th floor, at the Centre Pompidou in Paris, juxtaposing fashion and art in “The Crossing of Appearances” with a unique performance of Brau “Le Corps à la Letter” reading love-letters to the designers.
Since the beginning of the 20th century, art and fashion have interacted through mutual inspirations like Andy Warhol and Yves Saint Laurent, and collaborations such as Helmut Lang, Louise Bourgeois and Jenny Holzer. One of the first couturiers was Paul Poiret to interact with artists like Robert Delaunay, Constantin Brancusi, Pablo Picasso and Raoul Dufy. Elsa Schiaparelli and Yves Saint Laurent were two other famous examples.
At the exhibition “The Crossing of Appearances”, a Christian Dior's suit is juxtaposed with Ellsworth Kelly, Martin Margiela's design with Giorgio de Chirico, and Marine Serre silhouette with Marcel Duchamp. At the heart of the exhibition “The Crossing of Appearances”, a sensual reading takes place by artist Romain Brau, of texts written by Laurence Benaïm, in the form of letters to creators and couturiers.
“I wanted to shake off the museum stiffness, bring humour to the audience, and interpret Laurence’s text with emotions. I wanted to bring back my queerness, my vitamin.” Romain Brau
Read more about the exhibition and Brau’s role-play performance in our upcoming article. Full article will be published shortly.
Laurence Benaïm The Crossing of Appearances / Centre Pompidou, Paris (France)
24 January – 22 April 2024
Romain Brau Le Corps à la Letter / Centre Pompidou, Paris (France)
27 January - 28 February 2024
/ The Instigator
(top) Simone de Beauvoir with Hélène de Beauvoir / (bottom) The Haymakers II by Hélène de Beauvoir / Photo © Courtesy of Amar Gallery
HÉLÈNE DE BEAUVOIR
AMAR GALLERY
LONDON
WOMEN SUFFER / MEN JUDGE
A naked woman lies under the accusing fingers of four judges in their robes. The crudely figurative painting Women Suffer. Men Judge (1977), painted by Hélène de Beauvoir, the younger sister of internationally known and recognized French author and philosopher Simone de Beauvoir, echoes a situation of male domination.
The elder one wrote, the younger, often overshadowed by her older sister, painted all her life. Hélène de Beauvoir was also highly involved with the feminist movement in France and began an exceptional body of work on all issues of women's liberation.
Fast-forward to 2025.
Amar Singh, founder of Amar Gallery, London, is proud to announce his upcoming exhibition, The Woman Destroyed of Hélène de Beauvoir, the first-ever solo exhibition of her work in London. The exhibition features paintings and works on paper from the 1950s to the 80s.
It is rare to find another gallerist more dedicated to his work and humanitarian issues than Amar Singh. He is a true, farsighted art dealer, and activist, consistently discovering overlooked artists and being the first gallerist to show the work of female artists such as Lynne Drexler or in 2018, the exhibition Hiding in Plain Sight, to celebrate female abstract expressionists of the 1950s and 60s New York, such as Joan Mitchell. Grace Hartigan, Helen Frankenthaler, and Elaine de Kooning.
Amar Gallery’s current show The Woman Destroyed is an exhibition which took Amar Singh over three years to put together, resourcing works from around the world, through galleries, and museums, meeting patrons of de Beauvoir and discovering how important she was to the global feminist movement, and especially to her sister.
Picasso became familiar with de Beauvoir’s work when she had her first solo exhibition in Paris in 1936, at Galerie Jacques Bonjean. In Tout Compte Fait (1972) one of Simone de Beauvoir’s autobiographical works, she wrote: “Collaborating with Hélène was something I had long wished for.”
1967 Simone de Beauvoir’s book The Woman Destroyed was published by Gallimard with 16 etchings by Hélène de Beauvoir, the first edition that is extremely rare, will be on view at Amar Gallery.
Full article will be published shortly.
Hélène de Beauvoir / Amar Gallery, London (UK)
24 January – 2 March 2025
/ The Instigator