A champion of unapologetic figuration, an enthusiast of bold and humorous eroticism, and a close friend of Robert Combas—Claude Guénard is all of these things. This prominent figure of contemporary art is gracing La Lison gallery with an exhibition dedicated to the exploration of carnal rites, featuring tattooed bodies and bare newlyweds. Join us for the free opening on Thursday, September 12, 2024, starting at 7:30 PM!
The artist: Claude Guénard
Born in 1949 in Mayenne, Claude Guénard has had an extraordinary career. At the age of just 16, he enrolled in the Beaux-Arts, marking the beginning of an artistic journey that would take him around the world. At 21, he left France for Africa, where he spent nearly twenty years, absorbing the cultures and landscapes that would deeply influence his work. This African experience is reflected in the diversity and depth of his creations, which span painting, sculpture, and engraving.
Upon returning to France in 1993, Guénard established his studio in the Paris region and dedicated himself entirely to his art. His works have been exhibited in emerging galleries internationally, from Paris to New York, via Seoul, Dubai, and other major cities. In parallel, he has also taught in art schools in Africa and France, sharing his knowledge and artistic vision with young talents.
Newlyweds with their first tattoo
Exhibition curator Valérie Dufour worked closely with Claude Guénard to define the theme of Rites Charnels. This evocative title perfectly encapsulates the essence of the works on display: an exploration of the flesh, tattoos, marriage, and the associated rituals. The exhibition is divided into three main series, each highlighting a different aspect of these themes.
The first series reinvents wedding photographs. Guénard discovered wedding photos dating from the 1940s to the 1950s, found in French flea markets. Using a unique scratching technique, he alters these photos by scraping them before drawing over them, creating works that resonate in a new way. This reinterpretation of old photos questions the nature of rituals and their persistence over time.
The second series, drawings depicting tattoo scenes, is a direct homage to the art of tattooing, which is at the heart of La Bête Humaine studio. These works, created directly with acrylic on paper, capture the intensity and pain, but also the beauty and significance of tattooing as a rite of passage.
Finally, the third series, composed of large-format paintings (acrylic on canvas), is undoubtedly the most spectacular. These canvases, some of which measure up to 160 centimeters by 160, continue to explore the themes of marriage and tattoos, with a touch of provocation and eroticism characteristic of Guénard’s entire body of work. Tattooed newlyweds, transgressive wedding scenes—each painting invites reflection on how contemporary society approaches concepts of the body, identity, and ritual.
Eroticism and provocation: assumed hallmarks
Claude Guénard is not an artist who concerns himself with conventions. The exhibition curator aptly notes that « eroticism and sexuality are omnipresent in his work. » To the novice—and sensitive—viewer, his works may seem to flirt with the limits of obscenity. Yet, this is not the case. Beyond this apparent provocation, there is a true desacralization of taboos, a playful and satirical exploration of the stereotypes that shape our perception of the body and sexuality.
The writer Jean Rouaud describes Guénard’s approach with a striking metaphor: « In the ring or on the canvas, all blows are permitted as long as they follow the rules of art, » says the Goncourt Prize winner. « His painting doesn’t land softly; it crashes onto the canvas. From the impact, like a particle accelerator, we expect an explosion of light and an extra dose of knowledge. » This quote perfectly captures the raw intensity emanating from Guénard’s work.
Damien Sausset, art critic for Art Press, speaks of the artist’s ability to « transcend contradictions » to create works that are as much allegorical testimonies of his human experience. His paintings are not mere representations but rather outlets where emotions, impulses, and reflections of a man deeply rooted in his era intertwine.
A work between social criticism and freedom of expression
The Rites Charnels exhibition also fits into a societal context where freedom of expression, especially when it comes to challenging beliefs and religions, is increasingly contested. In this climate, Claude Guénard’s work stands as a manifesto for artistic freedom, a defiant gesture against conventions that seek to stifle creativity under the pretext of morality.
Milagros Bello, Ph.D. in sociology, describes the artist’s work as an assumed provocation, arguing that « his works are modified drawings, which he re-composes and re-orders into crazy, politically charged images. » She highlights how Guénard deconstructs basic forms to superimpose provocative sexual images, creating an incendiary iconography that defies social conventions.
Similarly, Diane Lisarelli, journalist for Les Inrocks, sees in Claude Guénard’s work a passion for play—whether it’s wordplay, body play, color play, or material play. She writes: « Claude Guénard desacralizes, plays with obligatory artistic references, auction house relics, glossy paper images. He jostles them, mishandles them, always with mischief and desire. » This playful, almost anarchic approach is at the heart of Rites Charnels, an exhibition that refuses to compromise and embraces transgression as a mode of expression.
The profound meaning of carnal rites
Beyond provocation and eroticism, Rites Charnels is a profound reflection on the nature of rituals in our contemporary society. Valérie Dufour and Claude Guénard agree: we live in a time marked by a void of rituals. Whether it’s tattoos, marriage, or other forms of rites of passage, these have lost their meaning and solemnity.
This loss is symbolized by the artist’s works, which seek to restore meaning, or even reinvent these rituals through art. This exhibition does more than present artworks; it invites the viewer to introspect on what it means to be human in a world in constant evolution.
Claude Guénard, in his artistic approach, does not seek to impose a message but rather to provoke questioning. He positions himself as an observer of the human condition, using his art to explore themes as diverse as the body, sexuality, and social rituals. As theorized by Marcel Duchamp, art’s role is not to deliver a message but to induce questioning. Guénard perfectly embodies this philosophy, producing works that are as much mirrors in which society is invited to look at itself.
A must-see exhibition in Paris
The Rites Charnels exhibition at La Lison is a major event, open to contemporary art enthusiasts, tattoo lovers, and the simply curious alike. It is a unique opportunity to discover an artist at the height of his talent, whose works question, provoke, and fascinate.
Claude Guénard invites us on a journey into the depths of the flesh, where rites are redefined and where freedom of expression finds its purest form. La Lison awaits you on Thursday, September 12, at 7:30 PM for the opening of this unique exhibition, which will run until Saturday, October 26, 2024.
Claude Guénard exhibition at La Lison: practical information
Opening: Thursday, September 12, 2024, starting at 7:30 PM
Facebook Event Page: Rites Charnels
Duration: Thursday, September 12, 2024, to Saturday, October 26, 2024
Access: Thursday to Saturday from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM
Price: free entry
Claude Guénard online: website / Instagram
Address: 5 rue Pierre Chausson, 75010 Paris
Contact: galerielalison@gmail.com