Françoise Gillow in the Mancoton studio, 2011. Photo: © Piotr Redlinski
Christie's and HomeArt present "Françoise Gilot: A Century of Grace" exhibition, which celebrates the century of the artist Françoise Gilot's life on the occasion of her centenarian birthday from 26 November to 1 December.
Blue Study, oil on board, 147 x 115.2 cm. 1953
The legendary female artist, already a highly regarded member of the Paris school at the age of 21, has shaped and witnessed the most glorious periods of modern art in Europe alongside magnates such as Braque, Chagall, Cocteau, Matisse and Picasso. Gillow and Picasso fell in love for ten years, and the two had a deep influence on each other's artistic creation. She is one of the most talented creative pioneers of the modern art era, devoting her life to exploring different creative fields such as painting, printmaking and writing, while constantly exploring the artistic tension between abstraction and figuration. Gillow's work has also been exhibited in many major museums around the world.
Christie's, the artist Françoise Gilot, who is about to celebrate her centenarian birthday, is a visionary and tireless independent female artist. From 26 November to 1 December, Christie's and HomeArt will present "Françoise Giraud: A Century of Grace", featuring the legendary female artist's important works from different periods of her career, celebrating her century of life on the occasion of her 100th birthday. The exhibition will reveal her important contributions to the art world and provide an invaluable opportunity for Asian audiences to see first-hand her masterpieces spanning the 1940s and 2010s. In celebration of Gillow's century-long extraordinary life and great artistic achievements, Christie's unveiled the exhibition at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre on his 100th birthday on 26 November.
Geelo is a visionary and tireless independent female artist, and this exhibition will reveal her important contributions to the art world, providing an invaluable opportunity for Asian audiences to see her masterpieces across the 1940s and 2010s. In celebration of Gillow's century-long extraordinary life and great artistic achievements, Christie's unveiled the exhibition at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre on his 100th birthday on 26 November.
Gillow said: "Ever since I took up the paintbrush, I have never been satisfied with what is known. For decades, my inner yearning, enthusiasm and curiosity have driven me to explore changes and possibilities in order to bring my first instincts and imaginations to life. Each of the works on display at Christie's also documents the crystallization of my lifelong artistic experiments with people, objects, relationships and nature, and I am eager to share my love and pursuit of art with Asian audiences this autumn." ”
Christie's Vice President and International Director of Asia Pacific, Ho Xingqi, said: "Françoise Gillow is undoubtedly one of the most respected and acclaimed female artists of the twentieth century. Her unique artistic vision, maverick personality and original style have inspired countless people, and art lovers around the world appreciate her strong and gracious personality. Her work has been exhibited in several world-class museums, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. We are proud to bring some of Gillow's wonderful work to Asia and to work with HomeArt on this important exhibition celebrating her important achievements, and Christie's is eagerly looking forward to celebrating her 100th birthday with the public on November 26th." ”
About Françoise Gillow
At just 21 years old, Gillow was already a rising star in the art world, shaping the history of European art with his post-war contemporaries. After her first major exhibition in Paris in 1943, she signed with the renowned art dealer Daniel-Henri Kahnweiler, becoming one of only two female artists in his group. In 1952, Gillow first exhibited his work at Converer's Louise Lyris Gallery in Paris, ushering in an important moment in his life and creative career.
At the beginning of his career in France, Gilot was influenced by his contemporaries Picasso, Braque, Chagall, Matisse and Cocteau, becoming one of the younger generation of post-war artists. Girlow's artistic path was quite smooth, and from the 1960s onwards he traveled frequently to the United States to start a new chapter in his life and artistic career, while opening up new directions.
For decades, my inner yearning, enthusiasm and curiosity have driven me to explore changes and possibilities in order to bring my first instincts and imaginations to life.
- Françoise Gillow
When Gillow moved to the United States in 1970, her creative skills evolved, and she began to dabble in different creative fields, including painting, printmaking, and writing, as well as exploring the creative tension between abstraction and figuration. In 1970, her work was exhibited at the Southampton Museum of Art in New York, followed by several museum exhibitions. She was awarded the Chevalier de l'Ordre de la Légère de l'Ordre de la Légère de l'Ordre de la Légène in 2009. Gillow's works are now in prestigious museums, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Tel Aviv Museum of Art, and the Museum of Modern Art in Paris.
Blue Study, oil on board, 147 x 115.2 cm. Painted in 1953
Immediately following the landmark exhibition at the Louise Lyris Gallery in 1952, Gillow created this striking self-portrait, The Study of Blue, a gorgeous and bold display of her self-consciousness at the time.
In this work, Giraud manifests herself, depicting a powerful self-vision in her own definition, exuding an independent and modern charm. Her painting style employs bold colors and contrasting lines, reflecting the significant progress she has made since the early 1940s (before she met Picasso).
This vibrant, vocal Study of Blue shows Gillow's strong self-image as an artist and a woman at a time when life's most important and courageous decisions are on the brink.
The Forest That Lives, Oil on canvas, 130 x 80.7 cm. 1977 Estimate: HK$3,000,000 - 5,000,000
The work will be presented at Christie's Hong Kong 20th and 21st Century Art Evening Sale on 1 December
In 1970, Gillow collaborated with Dr. Salk, the famous scientist who invented the pediatric leprosy vaccine. Salk) married, and at the end of December 1976, Gillow and her husband made their first trip to India, where they stayed for about a month. The colours, towering ancient trees and captivating images of The Ever-Moving Forest reflect the bright, saturated tones and wonderfully unique natural light of the area. In the painting, Gillow creates a spectacular, thriving forest inspired by India's unique and fascinating sensory memory.
As painted in The Everlasting Forest, Gillow's images move between figuration and abstraction, full of bold and infectious colors, focusing on the unstoppable fortitude and talent of her highly personalized artistic vision.
Painters, Oil on board, 163.5 x 131 cm. Painted in 1952
Painted in 1952, The Painters depicts Picasso and herself, accompanied by painters Pierre Gastaud and Édouard Pignon, showing Picasso depicting Gillo as a dove of peace.
At that time, Picasso's peace dove was printed on a poster and widely publicized in Paris in support of the World Peace Congress. In subsequent works, Picasso began to integrate the pigeon with the portrait of Gillow, and her elegant face was often accompanied by soaring pigeons. In response, Gillow drew the painting.
Still Life and Pruned Branches, oil on board, 45.8 x 54.8 cm, 1952
Geelo regained interest in still life themes in the early 1950s, and began working on the Kitchen series from 1951 onwards.
The plants in the first half of Still Life and Pruning Shears thrive and stretch outwards to represent a more fulfilling and busy life, while the scissors in the lower half represent a shed, the ability to stop plant growth, and the ability to untie or trim to maintain health.
Geelo's still life depicts everyday objects in the home that have a personal symbolic meaning to Gillow, allowing the painting to be considered a semi-autobiographical work of Giraud's life at that time.
White Clouds, oil on charcoal canvas, 100 x 81.5 cm, 2014
The image of the bird has always been a common subject in Giraud's work. Giro's daughter Paloma is slang for "pigeon" in Spanish.
In White Clouds, completed in 2014, Gillow reinterprets the theme of the pigeon, depicting two white doves flying in a swirling circle in the center of an abstract swirling cloud, echoing the harmonious cycles and complexities of the natural world.
The wings of the two white doves overlap, and they skim the sky in a gesture of movement and strength, showing pure vitality.