CONTEMPORARY ART EXHIBITION
"FLOWERS OF EVIL"
For this 16th annual exhibition of contemporary art held by Guerlain at 68 Avenue des Champs-Elysées, the Maison Guerlain presents its new exhibition The Flowers of Evil, partnering with Paris+ par Art Basel, the leading contemporary arts event.
The exhibition is a tribute to the poetry of Charles Baudelaire. It’s a homage that’s in tune with the Maison Guerlain’s own history, which this year marks the 170th anniversary of the ‘Bee Bottle’, created especially for the Empress Eugénie, a patron of the arts and a champion of the poet.Above and beyond this historical association, the Maison Guerlain is interested in taking a fresh look at the ties between nature and artistic creation. Flowers have always symbolized beauty, emotional deftness and sensitivity.
Here, however, subtle ambiguities emerge. Each artist has their own nuanced take on the exhibition theme, using a wide range of artistic media to explore deep veins of meaning. Ten works were made especially for this event.
THE ARTISTS
Curated by Hervé Mikaeloff , the exhibition features 26 artists from all over the world – both emerging talents and key figures on the contemporary arts scene – over three floors at the Maison Guerlain.
Anna Aagaard Jensen, Pauline D’Andigné, Joël Andrianomearisoa, Jean-Marie Appriou, Nobuyoshi Araki, Marcella Barceló, Alvaro Barrington, Alina Bliumis, Francesco Clemente, Johan Creten, Jean-Philippe Delhomme, Mimosa Echard, Laurent Grasso, Oda Jaune, Anselm Kiefer, Roni Landa, Robert Mapplethorpe, Thandiwe Muriu, Duy Anh Nhan Duc, Not Vital, Ghizlane Sahli, Jennifer Steinkamp, Lise Stoufflet, Mykola Tolmachev, Yan Pei-Ming, et Jiang Zhi.
EXHIBITION
FROM 18 OCTOBER TO 13 NOVEMBER 2023
La Maison Guerlain
68, avenue des Champs-Élysées, 75008 Paris
Open Monday to Saturday: 10:30am - 7:30pm
Sunday: 12am - 6:30pm
Free admission
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GUERLAIN AND CHARLES BAUDELAIRE
No poet has captured the essence of flowers quite as Baudelaire did. His collections are among the favorite texts of the Guerlain Perfumers, who are particularly appreciative of the multiple olfactory references contained in his poems.
Ordered to pay an astronomical sum to the French government, the poet sent a heart-rending letter to France’s Empress Eugénie, requesting that the fine be reduced.
Touched by his appeal, Her Majesty intervened, establishing her reputation as a patron of the arts. Composed for Eugénie, Eau Impériale in its Bee Bottle earned Guerlain the title of Official Court Perfumer, and this year marks the 170th anniversary of this iconic bottle.
GUERLAIN AND THE ARTS
Under the ‘Bee Art by Guerlain’ umbrella, which encompasses and drives all of the Maison Guerlain’s artistic initiatives and events, the company aims to encourage the arts to engage more closely with the burning issues of our time. Being convinced that artists have their part to play in the ecological transition, the Maison Guerlain also supports awareness-raising through the medium of art, whether in the shape of partnerships or sponsorship.
This year, the Maison Guerlain and Lee Ufan Arles have joined forces to create the LEE UFAN ARLES X GUERLAIN Art and Environment Prize which will be awarded on an annual basis to a project focusing on the multi-faceted, wonderfully rich relationship between the act of artistic creation and the world around us.
