En février, un petit exposition a célébré les femmes au Monnaie de Paris. Pour l’exposition, 33 artistes contemporains ont invité imaginer le portrait d’une femme d’exception de leur choix et l’ont gravé sur une couverture vierge du magazine Vogue Paris. Pour la plupart, les artistes ont choisi des femmes aux trajectoires exceptionnelles, émancipées et dévolues à leur œuvre et leurs valeurs : les femmes politiques (Indira Ghandi, Margaret Thatcher, Michelle Obama), les écrivaines (Joyce Carol Oates, Simone de Beauvoir), les comediennes et danseurs (Elizabeth Taylor, Isadora Duncan, Josephine Baker, Madonna), d’autres artistes (Frida Kahlo) et même son propre femme (Mme Viallet, femme de Claude Viallet).
Après l’exposition fermé, les œuvres ont été ensuite vendues aux enchères par la maison Christie’s, au profit d’un programme en faveur de l’autonomisation des femmes mené par ONU Femmes, entité des Nations-Unies consacrée à l’égalité des sexes dans le monde.
In February, a small exhibition celebrated women at, of all places, Monnaie de Paris, the Paris mint. Sponsored by, among others, UBS, Vogue Paris and Sisley, 33 contemporary artists were invited to create a portrait of a woman each found particularly inspiring for the cover of Vogue Paris. For the most part, the artists selected women who had led extraordinary lives of emancipation and dedication to their work and beliefs: political women and world leaders (Indira Ghandi, Margaret Thatcher, Michelle Obama), writers (Joyce Carol Oates, Simone de Beauvoir), actresses and dancers (Elizabeth Taylor, Isadora Duncan, Josephine Baker, Madonna), other artists (Frida Kahlo) and even one who chose his own wife (Mme Viallet, wife of Claude Viallet).
After the exhibition closed, the works were sold at auction by Christie’s, with the proceeds benefiting programs that promote gender equality and women’s empowerment led by UN Women.
Each portrait was accompanied by a statement explaining why the artist chose that particular woman. You can read the exhibition catalogue here.
Herewith a selection of the portraits I liked the most.
Joyce Carol Oates by Françoise Pétrovitch
Left: Marie Antoinette by Joana Vescocelos
Right: Indira Ghandi by Malala Andrialavidrazana
Simone de Beauvoir and Joséphine Baker by Orlan
Left: Margaret Thatcher by Grayson Perry
Right: Michelle Obama by Hom Nguyen
Elizabeth Taylor by Sylvie Fleury
Jane Fonda by Peter Klasen
Edmonde Charles-Roux by Ernest Pignon-Ernest
Left: Mme Viallet by Claude Viallet
Right: Ma by Subodh Gupta
Frida Kahlo by Sunmi Kim
Left: Marie-Agnès Gillot by Jean-Michel Othoniel
Right: Isadora Duncan by Lita Albuquerque
Vintage Vogue Paris covers for sale at a "bouquiniste" I passed on my way to see the exhibit
Exhibit poster with images of all 33 portraits
