The exhibition Sculpture Nails at Thaddaeus Ropac Paris Marais highlights Sylvie Fleury’s profound impact on the sculptural medium. On the ground floor, the Swiss artist presents both historic and new sculptures spanning her 30-year career, while the first floor features an immersive space illuminated by her iconic neon works.Fleury’s reinterpretation of the traditional institutional sculpture gallery showcases luxury commodities, transformed through inclusion in a sculptural context. Bronze-cast makeup packaging, Alaïa shoes, and her Mushroom works are displayed alongside abstract pieces like a three-metre hairclip. These works challenge ideas of fetishisation, value, and consumption.
Her practice draws from Conceptualism, Minimalism, and Arte Povera, while incorporating art-historical references. Notable pieces include a bronze yoga mat with Gucci's signature pattern, evoking Carl Andre's sculptures, and the monumental diptych Untitled – (Pistoletto)/Beauty Case (2024), referencing Michelangelo Pistoletto’s Mirror Paintings.
A feminist undertone runs through the exhibition. Bronze-cast Slim-Fast tins critique unattainable beauty standards, while Gucci Handcuffs (2001–2) highlight entrapment within luxury culture. Fleury’s neon works, spanning two decades, deconstruct the messaging of consumerism. Phrases like Exfoliate, Hydrate, Shield parody skincare brands, while YES TO ALL critiques consumption in the digital age.
Born in Geneva in 1961, Fleury has exhibited internationally, with recent solo shows at the Kunsthal Rotterdam (2024) and Kunst Museum Winterthur (2023). She has received major awards, including Switzerland's Prix Meret Oppenheim in 2018.
Die Ausstellung Sculpture Nails in der Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac Paris Marais präsentiert eine beeindruckende Auswahl an Werken der Schweizer Künstlerin Sylvie Fleury. Historische und neue Skulpturen sowie ihre ikonischen Neonarbeiten laden dazu ein, die Konsumgesellschaft und deren Einflüsse auf Kunst und Kultur zu hinterfragen. Mit einem feministischen Blick, einem spielerischen Umgang mit Luxusgütern und Verweisen auf Kunstgeschichte gelingt es Fleury, aktuelle Themen wie Schönheit, Konsum und gesellschaftliche Normen auf faszinierende Weise zu beleuchten. Die Ausstellung ist bis zum 5. Januar 2025 zu sehen.
This text has been edited to present the content in a clear and easily understandable manner. Details about the editing process and our use of AI can be found here.
Sylvie Fleury, Sculpture Nails, 2024. - Mit freundlicher Genehmigung von: ropac
