Ornate works by the iconic French duo Claude and François-Xavier Lalanne return to Hong Kong for the third time from September 15 through November 12 at Ben Brown Fine Arts.The gallery will showcase new whimsical creations by Claude Lalanne’s studio, consisting of functional ornaments including mirrors, chairs, and lighting, as well as a diverse range of sculptural works. These will be presented alongside pieces by the late François-Xavier Lalanne dating from the 1980s.The duo’s distinctive styles will be highlighted, with new works by Claude depicting flora and fauna. These include three bronze and copper mirrors, an electrified lantern, a green-painted standing cabbage, two armchairs, and two crocodile-footed side tables. Alongside these will be several of François-Xavier’s classic works, comprising of a bronze deer and two of his traditional sheep made from epoxy stone and bronze, both from 1988.Although their work cannot be categorized, Les Lalanne's oeuvre still represents the embodiment of various influences: Surrealism, Classic art, Contemporary art, fine art, and decorative art. With Claude’s preference for depicting vegetation and her husband’s functional sculptural works in the shape of animals, the artist duo formed a unique style, classified as an ode to Art Nouveau and Baroque.Going against the popular trends of Abstract art in the 60s, their art caught the eye of prominent private collectors in the fashion industry, including Yves Saint Laurent, Marc Jacobs, Valentino, Tom Ford, and Peter Marino. Today, their creations are included in leading art institutions, notably the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum in New York, the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris, and Musée National d’Histoire Naturelle. The works in this exhibition — including Claude Lalanne's famous “Choupatte,” an oversized cabbage with chicken legs — will subsequently travel to the gallery’s London branch in late November, where they will be on display until January next year.“Claude et François-Xavier Lalanne” runs from September 15 through November 12 at Ben Brown Fine Arts, Hong Kong.
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