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Ernest Pignon-Ernest

ERNEST PIGNON-ERNEST

Figurae Galerie Lelong 15 March–18 May 2018 13 Rue de Téhéran, Paris
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Press Release

Ernest Pignon-Ernest has always been sensitive to the heads of individuals, both male and female. Examining someone in detail through drawing was and is a constant feature of his work, a way of coming into direct contact with figures of recent History that he admires and questions. In 1968, in a turbulent Avignon, he drew the portrait of Julian Beck at the Living Theatre, which he related, in its emotive dimension, to that of Antonin Artaud. Then, of course, he went on to draw Pier Paolo Pasolini, who has been explored each decade, as well as Rimbaud, obviously, but also more unexpected faces and profiles who had remained in the artist’s portfolio and had never been displayed. Here, in this exhibition we can find the faces of Billie Holiday, George Orwell, Alberto Giacometti, Charles Baudelaire, Francis Bacon, and more. As well as a rather troubling portrait of Medusa, she whose eyes had the power to turn to stone those who looked at her, but could also offer protection from the evil eye...

Ernest Pignon-Ernest was born in Nice in 1942 and lives and works in Paris. For more than 50 years he has invented images that he glues to the walls of cities. Today, he is unanimously recognised as the precursor of “street art”. His work was the subject of a major retrospective at the MAMAC in Nice in 2016.

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About the Artist

Ernest Pignon-Ernest was born in 1942 in Nice, France. He lives and works in Paris.

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About the Gallery
Galerie Lelong is located in Paris and New York. It was founded by Jacques Dupin, Daniel Lelong and Jean Frémon.

The Paris gallery has been exhibiting recent works from artists of international standing since 1981. The 1980s were notable for artists who went on to become household names, including Joan Miró, Antoni Tàpies, Francis Bacon, Louise Bourgeois, Eduardo Chillida, Paul Rebeyrolle, Pierre Alechinsky, but also for the next generation of artists: Konrad Klapheck, Jan Dibbets, Donald Judd, Robert Ryman, Richard Serra, Jannis Kounellis, Arnulf Rainer, Nicola De Maria and Jan Voss.

In the 1990s, the gallery hosted artists who represented major movements in contemporary art: Sean Scully, Günther Förg, Andy Goldsworthy, Ernest Pignon-Ernest, Antonio Saura. The gallery also increased international recognition of the work of Ana Mendieta.

Since the turn of the century, Galerie Lelong has accentuated the geographical and expressive diversity of its artists: from sculpture and objects by Jaume Plensa, David Nash, Wolfgang Laib, Kiki Smith, Rebecca Horn, Barry Flanagan to installations by Barthélémy Toguo and Lin Tianmiao, without forgetting painting, namely David Hockney, Robert Motherwell, Kate Shepherd, Nalini Malani, Nancy Spero, Juan Uslé, Leon Kossoff.

Galerie Lelong has a large publishing department which produces and distributes engravings, lithographs, digital prints and multiple objects, and collates these works in catalogues raisonnés.

It produces monumental sculptures to order for public spaces and private clients.

The gallery is present at the leading international contemporary art fairs (Art Basel, Art Basel Miami Beach, Art Basel Hong Kong, Fiac Paris, Frieze London, Frieze New York, Arco Madrid, Art Brussels, Expo Chicago...).

The directors of the gallery are Jean Frémon, Daniel Lelong and Patrice Cotensin in Paris and Mary Sabbatino in New York.
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Address
13 rue de Téhéran
Paris
France
Opening Hours
Tues - Fri, 10.30am - 6pm
Sat, 2pm - 6.30pm
(1)
Paris 13 rue de Téhéran
Galerie Lelong contemporary art gallery in 13 Rue de Teheran Paris France
Galerie Lelong
13 rue de Téhéran, Paris, France
+33 145 631 319
http://www.galerie-lelong.com

Opening hours
Tues - Fri, 10.30am - 6pm
Sat, 2pm - 6.30pm
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