Double Feature at Galerie Perrotin: Johan Creten Presents “How to Explain the Sculptures to an Influencer?” and Mr. Unveils “Invoke It and a Flower Shall Blossom”
Galerie Perrotin Matignon presents “How to Explain the Sculptures to an Influencer? “Johan Creten’s ninth solo exhibition at the gallery – and his fifth in Paris. In this exhibition, the artist presents new animal bronzes, bas-reliefs, and furniture sculptures in bronze and clay. Renowned for his allegorical sculptures in ceramic and bronze, Johan Creten has been developing a poetic, lyrical and mysterious universe since the 1990s. They underline the importance of beauty in his work while reaffirming his humanist consciousness and the social and political resonance of his practice. In his creative process, Johan Creten mentions “Slow art” and the need for a return to introspection and exploration of the world with its individual and societal torments. For Johan Creten, clay and bronze are materials whose plastic potential and underlying narratives inform the nature of his work.
Running parallel on rue de Turenne these days there’s “Invoke It and a Flower Shall Blossom”, Mr.’s eighth exhibition at the gallery and fourth in Paris. In this new show, the artist presents a new series of paintings and shaped canvas, two sculptures and a set of works on paper. The Japanese artist has assembled a unique imagery filled with references: anime films, video games and manga, which have permeated adolescent culture since the 1980s, in almost equal measure with American productions. Its visual impact in Europe is itself an old legacy. In a way, it recaptures the shock produced in the second half of the nineteenth century by the discovery of ukiyo-e (“floating world”), whose key role in the advent of Modernism is well known.
During these two inaugural evenings, sponsored by Perrier-Jouet champagne, we had the pleasure of meeting artists including Mr., Johan Creten, Jean-Michel Othoniel, Mathilde Denize, Xavier Veilhan, Jean-Marie Appriou, Samuel Boutruche and Christiane Pooley, Johan Creten, Jean-Michel Othoniel, Mathilde Denize, Xavier Veilhan, Jean-Marie Appriou, Samuel Boutruche, Christiane Pooley and cultural figures such as Jerôme Sans, Stéphanie Lemoine, Sarah Andelman, Marie Maertens, Matthieu Lelièvre, Agnès Violeau, Matthieu Poirier, Olivia Voisin, Elsa Janssen, Christophe Leribault and Colin Lemoine.
Photos: Jean Picon
