Fauteuil Crapaud, François-Xavier Lalanne, 1969
The Musée des Arts décoratifs in Paris is hosting a major retrospective
of Claude and François-Xavier Lalanne until the 4th of July.
Claude and François-Xavier met in 1952 and started working together in 1956.
Since their first exhibition entitled "Zoophites" in 1964, this inseparable couple
of surrealist artists have always exhibited and worked together, and consequently
have often been regarded as a single entity, although they rarely collaborated
on a piece of work.Their unconventional sculptures have individual styles but share
a common inspiration in animals and nature, and an ironic vocation to become whimsical
but functional objects that can be touched, sat upon, worn and sometimes even eaten.
Detail of the exhibition featuring Claude Lalanne's
Petits Lapins à Collerette and Dragonnets
Banc crocodile, Claude Lalanne, 2005
Tortuga deyrollensa, Claude Lalanne
Claude’s works, often designed to be used as jewellery, furniture and tableware,
tend to be more delicate, intricate and baroque. Her late husband (François-Xavier
passed away in 2008 at 81) crafted more weighty, monumental and stylized forms,
often remindful of ancient Egyptian sculptures.
Cocodoll, François-Xavier Lalanne, 1964
Rhinocrétaire II, François-Xavier Lalanne, 1966
La mouche, François-Xavier Lalanne, 1966
Hippopotame I, François-Xavier Lalanne, 1968-69
Les Lalanne's mischievous creatures are a playful and unique combination of fine
and decorative art, design and figurative sculpture, surrealism and Nouveau Realisme.
They gathered a cult following among important private collectors around the world,
including fashion icons like Yves Sain Laurent, Coco Chanel and Tom Ford.
BoÎte des sardines, François-Xavier Lalanne, 1971
Oiseau à bascule, François-Xavier Lalanne, 1974
Grue lumineuse, François-Xavier Lalanne, 1991
Sheep by François-Xavier Lalanne on Park Avenue, by the New York city parks
public arts programme in conjunction with Paul Kasmin Gallery, 2009.
The exhibition's "Minotaure" and "Singeries" rooms
The exhibitions was designed by the American architect Peter Marino,
a collector and promoter of Les Lalanne for more than 30 years, as a thematic journey
through over 150 of their artworks. I hope I'll be able to get to Paris and see this in person!
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