Choupatte, 2014/2017, is one of legendary artist Claude Lalanne's most iconic and recognizable works, fully encapsulating her fascination with nature, playful sense of humour, and unique practices in the medium...
Choupatte, 2014/2017, is one of legendary artist Claude Lalanne's most iconic and recognizable works, fully encapsulating her fascination with nature, playful sense of humour, and unique practices in the medium of sculpture. Claude explained the genesis of this hybrid, whimsically surrealist work: "I had taken a mould of a cabbage and just wondered what it would look like with legs - the moment I saw it, it felt right. It had emotion." Her husband and artistic partner, François-Xavier Lalanne, illuminated: "The cabbage leaf is to Claude what the acanthus leaf was to Greek art!"
Claude Lalanne studied architecture in Paris at the École des Beaux-Arts and the École des Arts Décoratifs. After marrying François-Xavier in the 1960s, the two began to work closely alongside each other and exhibit as 'Les Lalanne', receiving early commissions from luminaries such as Yves Saint Laurent. The Lalannes' work is represented in many prominent collections around the world, including the National Design Museum, New York; Cooper Hewitt Museum, New York; Musée Nationale d'Art Moderne, Paris; Musée d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris; and the Centre Pompidou, Paris.
London, Ben Brown Fine Arts, Les Lalanne, 29 November 2018 - 15 February 2019 Hong Kong, Ben Brown Fine Arts, Celebrating 10 Years in Hong Kong, 15 June - 31 August 2020 London, Ben Brown Fine Arts and Claridge’s ArtSpace, Les Lalanne: Makers of Dreams, 28 April - 29 July 2022