At Thaddaeus Ropac Paris, the ‘Sculpture Nails’ exhibition unfolds Sylvie Fleury’s influence on the sculptural medium, running from 11 January to 22 February 2025. The Swiss artist utilizes the ground floor to display a curated selection that spans her career of more than 30 years, combining historic pieces with new works that are revealed to the public for the first time. This layout bypasses traditional norms of hierarchy and chronology, opting for a thematic and visually rich arrangement that reinterprets the conventional sculpture gallery.
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Fleury’s exhibition challenges the usual display methods by intermixing luxury commodities and branded items, whether as readymades or crafted in materials like bronze and fibreglass. The juxtaposition of ordinary objects such as magazine piles, makeup packages, and bronze-cast Alaïa shoes with significant sculptures, like a three-meter-wide hairclip and a series of ‘Mushroom’ works, raises questions about fetishization, valorization, and consumption.
On the first floor, Fleury’s work engages with genres like Conceptualism, Minimalism, and Arte Povera. Her approach revisits and subtly mocks the male-dominated art historical narratives, integrating them into her critical dialogues. A standout piece is the ‘Untitled – (Pistoletto)/Beauty Case’ (2024), which combines reflective surfaces with video work from 1995, presenting a commentary on gender and consumer culture.
The feminist critique within the exhibition is potent and thought-provoking. Sculptures like the Slim-Fast milkshake tins in bronze discuss societal beauty standards and the pressures they place on women. These, along with her ‘Gucci Handcuffs’ (2001-2002), symbolically explore the dual nature of luxury and beauty industries, offering escape while imposing constraints.
Fleury’s neon works illuminate the first floor’s immersive space with sharp wit and irony. Texts like ‘Exfoliate, Hydrate, Shield, Purify’ mimic skincare routines through neon lights, critiquing the incessant consumerist urges fostered by beauty industries. The iconic ‘YES TO ALL’ neon sign comments on the overwhelming demands of contemporary digital consumption, pausing the frenetic pace of our post-digital world.
“Sculpture Nails” offers a critical reflection on modern consumerism and its intersections with gender, art, and culture. It invites reflection on the complexities of consumption and the role of art in reshaping societal narratives. Sylvie Fleury, with her blend of cynicism and affection, continues to challenge and redefine the boundaries of contemporary sculpture.
About the Artist
Born in 1961 in Geneva, where she continues to live and work, Sylvie Fleury has been a compelling figure in the art world since her debut exhibition “Shopping Bags” in 1991. Her work has been featured across Europe and the United States in numerous solo and group exhibitions. Fleury’s contributions have been recognized with Switzerland’s Prix Meret Oppenheim and the Société des Arts de Genève Prize, affirming her enduring impact and ongoing relevance in contemporary art.
