Paris — New York

Marc Desgrandchamps
Le tourment de la ligne d'horizon

March 17 — May 7, 2022
38 avenue Matignon, Paris
For his first exhibition at the Avenue Matignon premises of Galerie Lelong & Co., Marc Desgrandchamps is presenting a brand-new set of works on paper: postcards reproducing paintings from a variety of periods, covered by the artist with cut-outs of images of his own works.

Marc Desgrandchamps’ paintings are inspired by images of all sorts taken from his personal archives: press photographs, film scenes, reproductions of paintings. His memory and these stimuli act as the starting point for a mysterious narration that blurs the visual landmarks of the viewer. By fragmenting some of his own works to layer them over images from other painters, the artist embarks on a pictorial and conceptual journey that produces remarkably intense images on a very small surface area. The reproductions chosen are generally little-known works by eminent artists (Joos van Cleve, Delacroix, Ingres, Le Corbusier, Joan Miró, Douglas Gordon…) that disappear almost entirely behind the collage.

The exhibition also includes gouaches on paper which repeat the compositions of certain collages on a larger scale. Here, the artist is inviting us to acquire a deeper understanding of his artistic process.

A number of recently-completed oils on canvas complete this brand-new ensemble.

Marc Desgrandchamps was born in 1960 and lives and works in Lyon. A collection of interviews and conferences, published by Galerie Lelong & Co., sheds light on his sources and the artist’s interest in art history (Lignes, 2019).
A retrospective exhibition at the MAC in Marseille is in preparation for the end of 2022.

Exhibition views

Installation view. © Marc Desgrandchamps / Courtesy Galerie Lelong & Co.
Installation view. © Marc Desgrandchamps / Courtesy Galerie Lelong & Co.
Installation view. © Marc Desgrandchamps / Courtesy Galerie Lelong & Co.
Installation view. © Marc Desgrandchamps / Courtesy Galerie Lelong & Co.
Installation view. © Marc Desgrandchamps / Courtesy Galerie Lelong & Co.
Installation view. © Marc Desgrandchamps / Courtesy Galerie Lelong & Co.

Visit the exhibition from home

Explore through this virtual visit the exhibition "Ex Nihilo" by Arnulf Rainer at Galerie Lelong & Co., 13 rue de Téhéran, Paris (March 17 - May 7, 2022).