1. Colette (enveils new works) at Destination - Art Space. Feb 8th - March 9th 2010. Installation view. ("... thats all she wrote...", metaphysical portraits - performance paintings - dvd's). 2. Detail of the window installation "The Letter" @Destination. 3. Barbara. Commissioned metaphysical portrait - 20 by 24 inches . Jan 2012. 4. 'Girl Talk' at Pavel Zoubok Gallery. April 2010. 5. "White Sale". Robert Howard Gallery, NYC. Curated by Beth de Woody - Jan 2011. 6. The appearance of Mademoiselle Lumiere. The Armory. Pavel Zoubok booth. March 2011. NYC. 7. "Night scented Stock". Lamp from the Living Environment - 73. Curated by Tod Levin. Marion Bosky Gallery. Oct 2011. NYC. 8. "Thanks a lot". Performance in front of Barney's Windows / "Gaga's Boudoir" (pledgerism of my trademark). 9. REWARD - has anybody seen Gaga? Colette at Von Bar - curated by Emil Memon - March 8 2012 - with collaboration of my students at SVA. 10. The remains of the bedroom - for "The quality of Presence" curated by Dmitry Komis. Chelsea Hotel. April 26 - 29 2012. 11. A Pirate in Venice - a film on Colette by Fredericke Shaefer ( preview @ Gershwirn hotel - May 12.2012). 12. Helen - March 2012 - commissioned metaphysical portrait. |
Exhibitions 2011 - 2012
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Exhibitions 2011 - 2012
- "Museum as Hub / Negative Utopia". Curated by Ethan Swan. Sept. 19th 2012 - Jan. 6 2013. New Museum, NYC.
- Private Screening of "Pirate in Venice" [SOLO]. A film on Colette (Laboratoire Lumiere). May 8th. The Gershwin Hotel. 7 East 27th St, NYC.
- “Art Returns to Art”. Galleria dell’Accademia Firenze Italy. May 7 - November 2012
- “The Quality of Presence”. Curated by Dimitri Komis, Chelsea Hotel, NYC. April 26-29.
- “The Von Show; Reward Has Anybody Seen Gaga” window installation. March 8-11. Curated by Emil Memon.
- "Bohemian Nights" - Nov 9 - ( short films by artists) Gershwin Hotel, presented by Nicki Carson, curated by Ingrid Dinter.
- "Remix" - Oct 14 through November. Samek Art Gallery, Bucknell University, Pennsylvania - curated by Pavel Zoubok and Rachel Lawe
- re.act.feminism #2 exhibition travellng through Europe from 2011 to 2013. Curated by Beatrice Stammer and Bettina Knaup. On display: street works - windows 70's...
- March 2012 Galerija Miroslav Kraljevi, Zagreb, Croatia
- April 2012 Instytut Sztuki Wyspa, Gdansk, Poland
- June – August 2012 Museet for Samtidskunst, Roskilde, Denmark
- September 2012 Tallinna Kunstihoone, Estonia
- October – December 2012 Fundació Antoni Tàpies, Barcelona, Spain
- June – July 2013 Akademie der Künste, Berlin, Germany
- 7th October 2011 – 15th January 2012 Centro Cultural Montehermoso, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain
- Night Scented Stock September 14 - October 22, 2011. Curated by Todd Levin. Marianne Boesky Gallery 118 East 64th Street
- Photo month : Krakow - Poland. Curated by Adam Broomberg and Oliver Chanarin. May 13 - June 12.
- Summer Salt - curated by Ingrid Dinter - "The Proposition Gallery" NYC - July 6th - Aug 7th. Click here to view more »
- Politically Colette [SOLO] - curated by Alan Jones - at Paolo Barozzi - Venice, Italy - Opening : June 5th.
- Sweet&Savory - at Pavel Zoubok Galley, NYC - June 1st - 24th. Click here to view more »
- "The Arrival of Mademoiselle Lumiere". An "apparition" at the Gala Preview and other artworks presented at the Armory Art Show on Park Ave, NYC. Pavel Zoubok Gallery TEN: Redefining Collage. Booth A21.
- White sale - curated by Beth Rudin Dewoody. Loretta Howard gallery. January 13 - Feb 2011
- BASIC INSTINCT, curated by Sasha Okshteyn, Black and White Project, Williamsburg. Dec 17 - Jan 23 2011. Flaunders Gallery, North Carolina - Feb - March - 2011
- NYC Salon, curated by Michelle Tillou. Dorian Grey Art Gallery. East Village, NYC. Dec 11 - Jan 2011. Postcards from "The Story of My Life" series.
- Beautiful Dreamer LP (79) reissued by DFA label - November 2010 (Justine & the Victorian Punks) with Peter Gordon. (introduction at "Poisson Rouge" - Jan 6 2011). For more of the recent reviews and updates, please visit these links »
Photo Album
Exhibition - It re-appears
Click on the image to see it enlarged.
Most images of public and private performances are available in photo edition or as altered photographs.
Contact Maison Lumiere for more information.
rooms / performances
BASIC INSTINCT, curated by Sasha Okshteyn, Black and White Space Project, Williamsburg
Installation with selected staged photographs, 70s - 81. (available in larger scale 4 " x 6") and wall fragments with photo as "living doll" in the "living environment" ' 78.
"Colette ,a pioneering artist and persona of downtown New York will have several seimnal works on view, together offering a selective survey of her contribution to two significant areas of contemporary art; the creation of the total environment and the use of the artist's own body as an instrument of expression"
BASIC INSTINCT Catalogue Excerpt
Dec 17 - Jan 23 2011 - NYC. February 4 - March 16th 2011 - Flaunders Gallery Raleigh, NC.
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Installation view - at Flaunders gallery - North Carolin |
Detail - "Ripping myself off" - window - 1978 |
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Detail of "les actions de Justine " Banco gallery Bresci |
Detail of "Let them eat cake" Paris Biennale - 77 |
Exhibitions 2008 - 2010
1.The Last Days of Pearl st - 16 minute DVD film on demolition of the legendary living environment. 2. Le pirate - (48 inches by 60 inches - painting, acrylic on canvas) 3. Installation view of Studio Lumiere in Dumbo - at Open Studios - April 24th, 6 to 9pm. 4. L'ange - 48 inches by 58 inches ( painting, acrylic on canvas ) 5. Installation view of Studio Lumiere in Dumbo - at Open Studios - April 24th, 6 to 9pm 6. Portrait of Colette (acrylic on canvas. 20 by 24 inches). 7. Detail of the wall from of Studio Lumiere in Dumbo - at Open Studios - April 24th, 6 to 9pm. 8. Portrait of Rufus Wainwright. (acrylic on canvas - 20 by 24 inches). 9. Another installation view. 10. "Records from the story of my life - 1978-2007" Exhibited in IMO Gallery - Copenhagen - Oct 2009. |
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'Girl Talk' at Pavel Zoubok Gallery
Installation view with Colette Mannequin Sculpture, Colette Lamp and Paintings
COLETTE'S LIFE (AND ENVIRONMENTS) AS A CONTINUOUS COLLAGE
I records from the story of my life-78 - 2007
backgound: Colette began recording her life in folded card format –( 72-78) excessively since early seventies- street paintings, her living environment ( an ongoing work of art ) sleeping performances/installations ...(a few of these cards can be seen upon request –ex; getting arrested for painting streets of So-Ho 71- and “Ancorra Tu ” - living in a space for six days in a environment recalling home- in Cologne Art Fair Germany 1977)
Colette begun using the lp format in 1978. These works record and encapsulate Colette's life and art; her performances, installations, personas, etc... Her first visual art band Justine and the Victorian Punks (which at first appeared but did not play) inspired using actual record albums to create the works.
II Colette lamp - an actual lamp form the original legendary living environment ( an evolving work of art- with her presence as part of it- 70-1983):a sculpture within a sculpture
III- mixed media paintings and sculptures from maison lumiere the most current and still existing persona- post 9/11the Colette Mannequin Sculpture are featured in these paintings .
The Colette mannequin begun to replace her presence in many of her installations during her previous incarnation THE HOUSE OF OLYMPIA.
light figures- sculptures from Maison Lumiere ( Colette legendary atelier which she continue to transform until its tragic destruction in Nov 2007
IV. “Selected records from the story of my life” in chronological order- beginning with the living environment including works created using her various personas : Colette (real name)
Justine of the Colette is Dead co- (_78-82) Mata Hari( berlin 84-86) Countess Reichenbach ( Bavaria 86-92) The House of Olympia-(92-2000) & Maison Lumiere (2001-2010)
Photo Album
Exhibition - It re-appears
Click on the image to see it enlarged.
Most images of public and private performances are available in photo edition or as altered photographs.
Contact Maison Lumiere for more information.
Colette at Destination Art Space
Installation view from Colette (enveiling new works) at Destination Art Space and Windows.
Colette at Destination: enveiling of new works; window installation "The letter...", metaphysical portraits; performance paintings; DVD "...that's all she wrote..."; souvenirs and artifacts from Maison Lumiere
Photo Album
Colette at Destination Art Space
Click on the image to see it enlarged.
Most images of public and private performances are available in photo edition or as altered photographs.
Contact Maison Lumiere for more information.
Colette at Destination
" At the core of colette's work is a nomadic principle an openness to any media, material, or cultural network as a means of circulating images or ideas....an enduring concern to speak to many audiences, large and small, elite culture and mass culture...
Colette's art, like Warhol is bound up with the idea of uninterrupted performance, so that her physical presence itself becomes a kind of signature, a trademark. Both of them have experimented with various ways of integrating art making and commercial production, playing with the ironies of that intersection and with the reduction of the artist to commodity status... Colette undertook the step of establishing a business corporation for the distribution of her Beautiful Dreamer Products in 1978...”
Johnthan Crary - Arts magazine, 1983
THAT'S ALL SHE WROTE:
the installation unveils Colette's new "Metaphysical Portraits", mostly of friends and colleagues and some celebrities (-none labelled-); Performance Paintings inspired by the street tableaux performed during the demolition week of her atelier; (an ever-changing historical art space- 70's till2007 )and a short Video: "that's all she wrote” thus putting closure on a personal tragedy. Maison Lumiere is the latest manifestation of her ever transforming studio -emerged after 9/11 ). Although no longer existing, It continues to exist and deal with issues that surfaced after all the recent global catastrophes due to terrorism and global warming: impermanence, displacement ,unpredictability and as usual in a time of crisis; the necessity to reevaluate what is essential in life; including relationships- therefore portraits of friends and individuals who have been inspiring. The new paintings and are executed in affordable and traditional materials- (acrylic on canvas materials )and so are the “home made “dvd's”; a contrast to mtv-and large budget art works - the current vogue- (many inspired by artists of an earlier time).
The new body of work also address the current housing problem; specifically to the artists, who have lost their studio space to developers and have been forced into relocation and migration as a way of life.
WINDOW INSTALLATION “THE LETTER”
"The Letter" like most of Colette's work can be interpreted in many ways, and contains many of her signature items and trademark such as the use of WINDOW space ( a familiar presentation for her work since the seventies). Another signature item featured in the window is a Colette Mannequin Sculpture Dressed in Rushed Fabric (one of her mannequins was on display at the Guggenheim’s fashion art show - 1997). The Colette replica began to replace Colette’s presence since 1992(conceptualized as part of reverse pop series-78-82) and brings to question new themes such as cloning..time .Other signature emblems or symbols used are: the ”suitcase” which begun to surface since the seventies suggests that nothing stands still and life is in continuous movement . In this show suitcases are on wheels ,they emphasize a state of impermanence, and a need for adaptability, readiness to move on , along with a curiosity for the “the unknown” ( what is the content of the suitcase ? the message in the phone call or this case the letter?)
Communication .. Miscommunication.. sending, receiving or messages that never reached their destination have been favorite themes . Red “Return to Sender” envelopes are part of the window and the interior installation
Other similar emblems of previous works are “the telephone” in “Dial C for Scandal “series 80's also in “Hold on I'm on my Way” ( 97) – the keys of the House of Olympia (90's).
Play of words with double meaning are also often used in titles of works.ex: C.I.A ( for the Colette Institute of Art)-.
SOUVENIRS FROM MAISON LUMIERE-affordable art in keeping with colette's philosophy of reaching out multi audiences high and low- ..etc..are
affordable collectables from Maison Lumiere and previous ones from her history:ex;
Posters and postcards form her visual art band I: “Justine and the Victorian Punks” and the "Beautiful Dreamer Lp” ( the record played everywhere and featured in various press headlines- in spite of the fact that only one thousand copies were printed - part of the Colette is dead series. In 1978 Colette died ( Downtown Whitney Museum ) and resurrected as an entrepreneur “JUSTINE”who marketed Colette’s vision and unique personal look….. …
"The Gold Potatoes" from “Mata Hari and the stolen potatoes” Berlin persona- 84-85....
and other unique artifacts from the bavarian adventure...to souvenirs from House of Olympia-90's.
House of Olympia (90's) colette lamp- .etc. Maison Lumiere 2001-2010 – Lumiere plates - glass hearts.... and selected records from the story of her life 70's till now-…….
Video presentation
The Studio at the Marie Walsh Sharpe Art Foundation Dumbo in one of its last transformations
Metaphysical portraits : 2008-2012
Photo Album
Metaphysical portraits : 2008-2012
Click on the image to see it enlarged.
Most images of public and private performances are available in photo edition or as altered photographs.
Contact Maison Lumiere for more information.
'The last days of Pearl st' DVD
'The last days of Pearl st' - 16 minute dvd film on demolition of the legendary livign environment
Colette in Dumbo
Please click here for the press release on Colette in Dumbo
Photo Album
Exhibition - It re-appears
Click on the image to see it enlarged.
Most images of public and private performances are available in photo edition or as altered photographs.
Contact Maison Lumiere for more information.
Berlin - React / Feminism
Photo Album
Exhibition - It re-appears
Click on the image to see it enlarged.
Most images of public and private performances are available in photo edition or as altered photographs.
Contact Maison Lumiere for more information.
Berlin - React / Feminism
This year, Colette was featured in "React Feminism" at Berlin’s Akademie Der Künste. The multi-media installation included a model reenacting Colette aka Justine in her memorable “Beautiful Dreamer” performances as well as a presentation of her groundbreaking street works, installations and performances of the 70’s and 80’s. Her first appearance at the Akademie was in the exhibition “SOHO New York 77.” She turned the art world upside down with her sensational silk installation, which had her reclining nude with another female “In Memory of Ophelia and All Those Who Have Died of Love and Madness.”
Roger Webster
Interieur Exterieur
"Interieur Exterieur" Wolfsbug Museum, Germany. Nov 2008 - April 2009
During her recent stay in Germany, Colette also participated in "Interieur Exterieur" at the Wolfsburg Museum through April 2009. The museum had requested that she reconstruct her legendary Pearl Street environment for the exhibition but was unable to keep it in its permanent collection. A more manageable work was contributed to the exhibition (the living environment still looking for permanent home).
Roger Webster
Berlin - Colette Lounge in Lowen Palais - Video marathon - Dec 2008
Photo Album
Berlin - Colette Lounge in Lowen Palais - Video marathon - Dec 2008
Click on the image to see it enlarged.
Most images of public and private performances are available in photo edition or as altered photographs.
Contact Maison Lumiere for more information.
Video marathon
Concurrently, in Berlin a video marathon of her life and work was held in the “Colette Lounge”(2002-2009) at the Starke Foundation. The videos shown included the 1979 cult classic “Justine and the Boys,” filmed by Robert Polidori and co-starring Jeff Koons, and Richard Prince, as well as films made in collaboration with other filmmakers and artists, including Charlie Ahearn, Michel Auder, Anton Perich and Paul Tschinkel.
Roger Webster