The dream of being an artist
From Albrecht Dürer to Marina Abramovic, via Jacques Louis David, Édouard Manet, Frida Kahlo and Jeff Koons, the exhibition recounts for the first time the construction of a myth, that of the artisan who wanted to be immortal.
From the Middle Ages, when painters and sculptors were still craftsmen, to the present day, the artist dreams of making a place for himself or herself in the sun. To achieve this, he or she has built up an extraordinary strategy of social elevation over the centuries, which allows them to escape their condition, to create in complete freedom while rubbing shoulders with the powerful.
The artists are gradually establishing themselves as singular beings, outside the norm, arousing respect and admiration as well as controversy, censorship and persecution. In six chapters and a hundred or so works.
In six chapters and a hundred or so decoded works, themes such as the signature, self-representation, genius and corporatism are addressed: paintings, drawings, engravings and sculptures, as well as extracts from films and television programmes, are all used to tell a story, that of the irresistible rise of the Artist.
The dream of being an artist (Le rêve d’être artiste)
Palais des Beaux-Arts de Lille
Place de la République -59000 Lille
⥗ 6 janv. 2020
