MUSEmemoirs

Info

Dates: 18.10.23 – 07.01.24

Curator: Rebecca Lamarche-Vadel

Where: Lafayette Anticipations

Price: free

Lafayette Anticipations presents in its adaptable surfaces the first solo exhibition in France consacrated to Issy Wood, the promising young British painter and musician. Titled “Study for No,” a nod to a 2019 artwork depicting the word ‘No’ in vibrant and ornate characters, the exhibition aligns with the artist’s intention to convey a message of empowerment, encouraging to use of the word “no.”

“We learn to use it as a child, and as an adult – especially, I think, as a woman - we have to learn to use it all over again. In the painting, I thought it would be funny to decorate the “no”, as though flowers and ornaments could balance out its defiance”

– Issy Wood

Wood’s paintings create an intimate dialogue, offering a sort of connection between the audience and the painter herself. Each canvas is a narrative of everyday objects, realized in a striking realistic manner. The meticulous details challenge the boundary between the tangible and the artistic, with a realism almost photographic that engages with the viewer. At the same time, the viewer is encouraged to come closer to the paintings, where the brush strokes reveal the artist’s hand.

Lafayette Anticipations’ spaces are organized thematically, starting with the “objects of desire” of contemporary society, then moving onto objects from Wood’s grandmother and souvenirs from her infancy, culminating, as the visitor climbs up the floors of the foundation, in the final room dedicated to autoportraits. An ascending intimacy, considering that Wood’s autoportraits are made from her few selfies – rare and private due to the difficult relationship she admits having with her image. The results are authentic and unconventional portraits.

The showcased artworks, many of which had never been exhibited before, collectively form a visual diary. This narrative is enriched by the curated texts that pair most of the pieces, which contain extracts from an interview between the curator, Rebecca Lamarche-Vadel, and Wood. An interview in the form of conversation characterized by simplicity and occasional humor which highlights Wood’s strong self-awareness in her artistic journey. By reading the direct words of the artist, one gains the keys to understanding her creative process.

My personal highlights:

• Study for Wednesday (2022)
• Self portrait 21 (2022)
• Help yourself (2020)