Les Lalanne retrospective, Paris

From rhino-shaped desks to cabbage and bird hybrids, the whimsical world of celebrated French sculptors Claude and François-Xavier Lalanne is being explored in a major retrospective at Les Arts Décoratifs in Paris.

Claude and her late husband, who worked closely since their first joint exhibition in 1964, have long been regarded as a single entity by the public, despite rarely actually collaborating on a piece of work. Both sought to demystify the sacred art of sculpture and create works with a function, that invite us to touch them, sit on them, lick them and at times, even eat them.

While François-Xavier’s mischievous beasts - like the baboon that doubles as a fireplace and the hippopotamus that opens to become a bathtub - are weighty, fluid forms constructed using moulding and electroplating techniques, Claude’s work tends to be more intricate. Expect delicate mouldings of bodies, apples and cabbages, as well as jewellery, furniture and tableware.

The exhibition is a cohesive, thematic exploration of their work designed by the American architect Peter Marino, a long-time collector and promoter of their work. Beside a château garden filled with their unusual characters, is a residence decorated entirely by the Lalannes. Its themed rooms include The Minotaur, Singeries, Intimate Lalanne and, of course Lalanne and Yves Saint-Laurent - one of their many prestigious collectors.

ADDRESS

107 rue de Rivoli

75001 Paris

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