François Halard, Casa Malaparte, Capri, Italie, 1998. Pigment ink print on fine art rag paper.

Villepin is pleased to present a curated showcase on works by photographer François Halard, as the second chapter of our current exhibition, Whispers of the Soul. For the occasion, we are thrilled to announce that François Halard will be visiting Hong Kong. Through his lens, Halard skillfully unveils the poetry hidden within the most intimate corners of a space, presenting a nuanced narrative that resonates with the exhibition's overarching theme of introspection and representation.

Alongside works by Lawrence Carroll, Giorgio Morandi, Giorgio de Chirico, and Cy Twombly, Halard's photographic series becomes a compelling dialogue in our space with the theme of a home — a space that extends beyond mere physicality to encapsulate the emotions, memories, and personal narratives woven into the fabric of our lives. Halard transforms spaces into living canvases that breathe with the stories of those who inhabit them, offering a poignant meditation on the significance of the places we call home. Each photograph becomes a visual poem, capturing the essence of the homes he explores and inviting viewers to reflect on their own connections to the spaces they inhabit.

The curated showcase includes Halard’s captivating photographs of Cy Twombly's home in Gaeta, Giorgio Morandi’s studio in Bologna, as well as photographs of Casa Malaparte, an iconic Mediterranean villa casting shadows into the shores of Capri. In the different series, Halard captures an intimate view of the spaces inhabited by artistic visionaries, evoking a sense of presence and belonging. François Halard, a luminary in the realm of contemporary photography, brings a distinctive perspective to our exhibition with his exploration of interiors. Renowned for his unparalleled ability to capture the essence of interior spaces, he invites viewers to embark on a visual journey that transcends the physical confines of walls and roofs.

Born in Paris, France, in 1961, François Halard's affinity for photography emerged at a young age. He inherited his passion from his parents, Yves and Michelle Halard, both esteemed interior designers, and soon established himself as a prominent figure in the world of interior and architectural photography. Halard's illustrious career has seen collaborations with publications such as Vogue. His keen eye for detail and ability to infuse each frame with a profound sense of atmosphere have made him a sought-after photographer by leading designers, architects, and artists.

The showcase featuring François Halard's photography works is open to the public as an integral part of Whispers of the Soul at Villepin, from January 19, 2024 to February 4, 2024.

Lawrence Carroll, *White Oval Paintings* (2015-2017), Wall paint and dust on canvas on wood, 20 x 28.5 cm

Whispers of the SouL

Villepin is pleased to present Whispers of the Soul, an exhibition highlighting Australian-born American painter, Lawrence Carroll, in dialogue with works by Giorgio de Chirico, Giorgio Morandi, Cy Twombly, and photographer François Halard. The first presentation of Lawrence Carroll in Hong Kong, Whispers of the Soul is co-curated by Arthur de Villepin and Olivier Kaeppelin, an art critic and curator who served as Artistic Director of the Busan Biennale 2014 and was formerly Director of the Maeght Foundation. With the support of the artist’s wife Lucy Jones Carroll this exhibition serves as a tribute that transcends temporal, spatial, and aesthetic boundaries, and tells the story of the indelible mark the artist left on the world of contemporary art. Whispers of the Soul opens November 26, 2023.

The exhibition embarks on a journey that retraces Lawrence Carroll’s artistic evolution and draws focus into the artists and intellectual theories that significantly inspired Carroll’s creative process, examining the legacies of Giorgio de Chirico, Giorgio Morandi, Cy Twombly, and François Halard to explore the multiple complexities and possibilities of Carroll’s unique output. Lawrence Carroll’s quiet visual language speaks of the search for belonging in the metropolitan crowd; subtle coloring often employed with inconspicuous materials to produce works lavished by geography and time. As the artist once said, “things come when they come. In this ever-changing world this is a luxury I crave. To slow down, to wait, to look. By choice I have chosen to live away from things, and by doing this I have given myself the freedom to wander and take my time.” Playing with soft colors, almost white, sometimes blue and yellow, Carroll’s paintings exist in an atmosphere of silence that conveys hidden messages to our senses and souls. While looking at Morandi, Carroll was drawn to the portrayal of beauty in essential things; for both artists, the repeated capturing of subject matter was a meditative and introspective practice.

As we explore the many strata’s of Carroll’s practice, an intriguing mystery unfolds, akin to Giorgio de Chirico’s metaphysical compositions. While visually very different, both artists express a representation of human reality that is universal yet enigmatic. In Halard's photographs of Casa Malaparte, an iconic Mediterranean villa that casts shadows into the shores of Capri, the photographer captures empty space with familiarity, evoking a presence and belonging. Slowing down our perception of time, Carroll’s works invite introspection while Cy Twombly engages a profound level of contemplation through a gestural vocabulary that is charged with frenetic energy. Both Carroll and Twombly’s works create a common ground for reflection, depicting the invisible soul, and suspending the viewer in a moment of spirited sublimity amid surrounding noise.

In a search for our place within this increasingly fast-paced world, Villepin invites visitors onto a new art discovery. While examining the legacies of the featured artists, and shedding light on their perception of architecture, space, and objects, the exhibition reflects on the beauty and nuances of everyday life. The gallery space has been transformed to summon the sensibility of Mediterranean culture that so absorbed Carroll, deliberately exploring our own identities, our place in the world, and the intrinsic significance of the environment around us.

Exhibition Opening: 26 November 2023 – 4 February 2024
Space: 53-55 Hollywood Road, Central, Hong Kong

Sunday - Thursday | 11AM to 7PM (By appointment only)
Friday - Saturday | 11AM to 7PM (Open to Public)

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