Dear Shaded Viewers,
The Bourse de Commerce has given Charles Ray his first solo show in Paris, at the same time however, Centre Pompidou is also exposing other works of Charles Ray, the two work in tandem. Ray was born in 1952 in Chicago and has made a major contribution to sculpture, and is considered one of the most important artists working today. There are 17 of his works installed across the museum, six of these works are previously unseen and are exhibited here for the first time.
This exhibition presents his most recent works in various materials and the scale of representation alters our relationship to the work. Marble, handmade paper, concrete, stainless steel, aluminium, carbon fiber: Ray summons traditional sculptural meterials and innovative industrial technologies. In the Rotonde Charles Ray presents three materials, three ages, three presences: a child captivated by his toy (The New Beetle), a reconstructed truck (Unbaled Truck) and a a portrait (Return to the One). The self-portrait has the artist in a situation of waiting while the child is fully absorbed by the object of his attention and the truck, like the young boy, refers to the past.
Gallery 5- 2nd floor has Doubting Thomas, 2021, Concrete Dwarf, 2021 and Study after Algardi, 2021, each of the works revisit a canon of religious sculpture and address the question of death.The concrete figure , Concrete Dwarf recalls the ancient types of Sleeping Eros or that of sleeping Christ. We Question if the man is dead or alive.
One room is, enter if you dare, and consists of a series of male nudes on the floor in an orgy like situation, there is a warning sign before entering.
Later,
Diane
Two exhibits: Bourse de Commerce Pinault Collection and Centre Pompidou
Bourse de Commerce Pinault Collection
2, rue de Viarmes
75001
