Exhibition review: The early years of Jackson Pollock detailed at the Picasso Museum

Critics discuss two exhibitions with Jackson Pollock. Early years (1934-1947) at the Picasso Museum, on the artistic emergence Jackson Pollock before his first drippings and Revelation! Contemporary art from Benin at the Conciergerie, an exhibition dedicated to many contemporary Beninese artists.

“Jackson Pollock. The early years (1934-1947)” at the Picasso Museum

The Musée national Picasso-Paris presents its new temporary exhibition dedicated to the American artist Jackson Pollock, leader of abstract impressionism. First exhibition in France since 2008, this one is devoted to his first works, from 1934 to 1947. The exhibition Jackson Pollock. Early years (1934-1947) looks back at the beginnings of the artist’s career, marked by the influence of regionalism and Mexican muralists, up to his first drippings in 1947. At the same time, the exhibition traces Pollock’s close link to work of Pablo Picasso on which he was nourished for a very long time.

Critics’ opinions

• Corinne Rondeau: “For people like me who have never really had an eye for Pollock and his drippings, I find this exhibition remarkable. There are very few works in the exhibition, but they are all perfectly chosen and adapted to the subject. We understand the painter’s sociological commitments, but also the influence of Tom Benton’s historical teaching on him. The exhibition first explains to us the whole relationship between Pollock and Picasso, this same way they have of painting, a relationship with the physicality of their painting, “painting on hardness”. The second room of the exhibition then lets us observe the human relationships and influences that nourished Jackson Pollock. We can clearly see that Pollock is in a relationship of weaving his reality and that in fact he is an element in his own right of his own painting. And although we may not be a fan of drippings at all, the exhibition is still interesting.”

• Stéphane Corréard: “The great merit of the exhibition is to show the birth of a painter and a work: here Jackson Pollock. It is an essential part of Pollock’s work, known mainly for his drippings. In truth, we understand here that figuration never completely left Pollock’s work. In the link established between Pollock and Picasso, it is also interesting to observe that Pollock does not speak of Picasso as a man and in his relationship to others, but rather as a precursor always one step ahead of him. But gradually, Pollock digested Picasso to achieve total abstraction, which the Spanish artist refused. He does not achieve this by force, rather by a certain form of weakness in the face of the art of Picasso and the French surrealist movements by which he allows himself to be overwhelmed.
  What is fascinating about this exhibition is observing the way in which Pollock assimilates all these inner influences to transfigure them into something completely new for his time. The scenography of the exhibition is also very beautiful. We can clearly see the almost mythological symbiosis that emanates from the works of the American painter.“

The exhibition is curated by Joanne Snerch and Orane Stalpers, its catalog was published by Flammarion. Jackson Pollock. Early years (1934-1947) is on view until January 19, 2025 at the Picasso Museum.

“Revelation! Contemporary art from Benin” at the Conciergerie

Revelation! Contemporary art from Benin offers a panoramic tour of contemporary art from Benin. Bringing together around forty artists and around a hundred works, some previously unpublished, this new exhibition in the heart of the Palais royal de la Cité highlights how the inspiration of contemporary artists finds its roots in the tradition and history of Benin. Revelation! Contemporary art from Benin is built on the arrangement of three sections, Goddesses and Gods, Queens and Kings et Women and Menarticulated through a wide diversity of mediums and supports to reveal all the vitality and singularity of the artistic scene of Benin and its diaspora.

Critics’ opinions

• Corinne Rondeau: “Although the catalog didn’t tempt me, I found that the hanging energized all of the works and it was quite a pleasant surprise. The reversal excited me, despite the few cartel concerns. What stimulated me was also the presentation of Georges Adéagbo who is the oldest artist of all. It presents a whole installation with record newspapers, books of all kinds, like a big newspaper that you have crumpled up and said to yourself “I’ll tear it up and start getting into it”. We see inside these works the memory that runs, the work of certain male artists on their grandmothers, the identity of women and certain things which mark their culture. I find that ultimately when they question the relationship with others, with voodoo, they pushed me to question myself about my ancestors and my own history. And then, I still appreciated the curator who brings these works to life even though there are sometimes some problems with lighting.”

• Stéphane Corréard: “I found that we had to forget a lot of things to begin to appreciate this exhibition. The place, this large gendarmes’ room in the conciergerie, is absolutely not suited to the presentation of Bréda. There are downright paintings that are in the dark. The three sections of the exhibition are, in my opinion, totally interchangeable. And then the absence of any tour leaves us to our own devices, the cartels do not allow us to really immerse ourselves. in the works shown to us And the very theme of the exhibition, supposed to express the quintessence of a national art, arouses a lot of skepticism today. Today, especially with the circulation of artists, of images. finds many artists from the diaspora who have studied or lived since their childhood abroad, which somewhat disturbs the Beninese identity. The exhibition is separated in two between the collections of the Royal Palace of Benin, rather unknown to us. and more established names found for example in Biennales. I must still say congratulations to Emo De Medeiros for his film Tigritude I, an absolutely astonishing work.”

The exhibition is curated by Yassine Agnikè Lassissi and Emmanuel Daydé, it can be seen until February 9, 2025 at the Pavillon populaire in Montpellier. The catalog of Revelation! Contemporary art from Benin is available from Hazan Editions.

Favorite: “Gisèle Freund. Writing through the eyes”

Highlighting an often ignored part of the work of this major figure of 20th century photography, the exhibition Gisèle Freund, writing through the eyes will present the documentary work of this reporter-photographer with a unique trajectory, where a strong political commitment, a sociological approach, a dual experience of exile, an attraction to technological innovation and a real thirst for adventure intertwine.

• Corinne Rondeau: “I found this exhibition wonderful because it allows us to observe the very first photographs of Gisèle Freund, the first academic to write a thesis on the history of photography and the development of portraiture. We find in particular, in his photographs from his beginnings, prostitutes and communist comrades protesting against the arrival of Hitler in 1931. The second part of the exhibition deals with the development of the question of writing from the gaze and more broadly of the place of writing itself in Freund’s work. It is an exhibition that is both simple and clear, which is reminiscent of the place of Gisèle Freund, one of the greatest social photographers of the 20th century.“

The exhibition is curated by Lorraine Audric and Teri Wehn-Damisch. The exhibition is on view until February 9, 2025 at the Pavillon populaire in Montpellier.

Sound clips

• Jackson Pollock Archive – Directed by Hans Namuth, Paul Flakenberg, 1951
• Chason de l’orchestre poly-rythmo de Cotonou Why don’t you follow me? taken from The Vodoun Effect: Funk And Sato From Benin’s Obscure Labels, 1972-1975