Our Spring Salon, opening on April 27th, explores the core theme of Siegfried Contemporary: the dialogue between my collection and my presentations, the cross-contamination and dialogue between different artists I love in my private and personal setting. In this context I have put together a “salon” presentation inspired by a beautiful Gerasimos Floratos work that I own: Dissolved legend in own mind now embracing stone, 2019
To me, this particular artwork evokes feelings of renewal, it has always nurtured a sense of awakening. I react strongly to Gerasimos’ powerful use of material, and in response to this, I have paired the work with ceramics by Lucia Pizzani , Caroline Achaintre, Tom Volkaert and Christine Roland. Each sculpture on show is an example of the artists’ exploration of the raw material they have chosen to use.
Lucia Pizzani has always incorporated ecological elements into her artwork, her physical environment often provides her with both the inspiration and physical materials for her work. One of the core concerns for Lucia is the process of metamorphosis and her work seems like the perfect link between Gerasimos’ painting and the ceramics by the other three artists shown in the salon.
Caroline Achaintre’s work draws from ‘Primitivism’, a style of early 20th century art that incorporated imagery from tribal cultures. Much of her ceramic work draws on traditions of carnival and tribal masks and throughout her practice, and different media use, we see in turn a mask, a garment, an animal…. At once abstract and figurative, her works reveal anthropomorphic forms and indicate a particular interest for animism. Her skin like surfaces speak of transformation, as do the works of the other artists she is paired with in this presentation.
I am delighted to add two works from my private collection to the presentation. The first is a sculpture by Tom Volkaert. Tom focuses on the changes which occur throughout the material process. He has an intuitive way of work, taking time to understand the fragility of each interval material, allowing then an element of independence, introducing the essential component of chance to the process. Relics of improvements and repairs are constant in Volkaert’s designs, contributing to a vision of unsettling beauty and horror.
Finally I am pleased to add my own ceramic vase by Christine Roland, whom I have previously shown in Switzerland. For this sculpture Christine has worked with botanical designer Mary Lennox, who has installed a succulent into her stoneware vessel. A sense of ancient Nordic traditions can be felt in Roland’s work, her dark stoneware pieces seem like they were just dug out of the earth. I believe this work completes the presentation by representing the cycle of renewal.
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Lucia Pizzani (Caracas 1975):
Born in Caracas and based in London, Pizzani's practice involves
the body and self, always informed by materiality. Having worked as part of the environmental movement in Venezuela for many years, these concerns are still very present in her research and production.
Last year her work was acquired by the TATE Collection and recent exhibitions, residencies and commissions include Magasin3 Museum of Contemporary Art (Stockholm), Planet B Climate Change and the new sublime, curated by Nicolas Bourriaud at Palazzo Bolanni (Venice), Peckham24 (London), TEA Museum (Tenerife), Casa Wabi and the Puerto Escondido Botanical Garden (Oaxaca, Mexico), LaunchPad Lab (Charente, France) and Hacienda La Trinidad Art Centre (Caracas). Upcoming exhibitions include Casino Luxembourg as part of the European Month of Photography EMOP and Contemporary Sculpture Fullmer (Buckinghamshire, UK).
Caroline Achaintre (Toulouse 1969):
In 2023 Caroline will have 2 museum shows: Doppelgänger, Museum Lothar Fischer, Neumarkt in der Oberpfalz/DE and Roadrunner, Neues Museum, Nürnberg/DE. Her work has been shown internationally in a large number of institutional exhibitions amongst them: Whitechapel, Tate and Camden Arts Center in the UK; Württembergischer Kunstverein Stuttgart/DE; Württembergischer Kunstverein Stuttgart/DE; MOCCA, Toronto/CA; Castello di Rivoli,IT. Her work is held in a number of public collections, amongst them: Tate, Arts Council Collection/UK, Centre Pompidou, Musee d’Art Moderne de la Ville, Paris/FR, Centre national des arts plastiques, Paris/FR
Guadalup Vilar (Buenos Aires):
Guadalup is a sculptor and clothing designer born in Buenos Aires and based in London. She works in recycled and leftover materials, translating the narratives of her short stories into physical form. She tells stories about future societies coping with the aftermaths of the environmental disasters that are being triggered by contemporary society.
Her recent exhibition include “Desvestida” at Greatorex Street Gallery and a solo show at the Embassy of Argentina in London, both in 2023. Her work was also shown at Miranda Bosch Gallery in Buenos Aires.
