The Serpentine Gallery’s 2016 exhibitions have been equally dynamic, innovative and inspiring and this season’s show by Marc Camille Chaimowicz is no exception. Chaimowicz established himself in the 1970s with his print-crazy installations and party performances. His work often blends popular culture with art historical references and includes painting, sculpture, design and immersive site-specific installations.
Marc Camille Chaimowicz: An Autumn Lexicon; Installation View, Serpentine Gallery (29 September – 20 November 2016); Photo © Hugo Glendinning
His current show ‘An Autumn Lexicon’ at the Serpentine spans his career from the 70s to the present day. It draws on ideas of memory and place while responding directly to the environment and Serpentine Gallery building. It combines wallpaper, furniture, paintings, rugs, household items and news article clippings - of course we were excited to see this connection between art and interiors. He's even designed curtains for the gallery windows and coloured the window glass with pink and green acetate, creating an immersive exhibition experience.
We couldn't help but notice the Bloomsbury aesthetic throughout the show which featured the same muted and pastel colours seen in Vanessa Bell’s work. It reminded us of our project in Ireland which was based around a Bloomsbury palette. Read more about this project here.
There are also lovely details of the building and gardens throughout the show. Chaimowicz has created backdrops with repeated patterns of the Serpentine pavilion using various block printing and painting methods. There is an art deco style to much of the furniture which reflects the original tea room which preceded the gallery in the 1930s. Among the news clippings are pages from interiors magazines showing the interior design elements of his work including his South London home which blended styles from the 30s, 50s and 70s. Interior design enabled Chaimowicz to merge his talents in painting, pattern, design and installation.
It’s a beautiful show which is both reflective of historical design and original in its own way.
The show is open until November 2nd - catch it while you can.
“We should resist the tyranny of linear time for one which is much more
elusive, labyrinthian, gracious and once understood, perhaps even kindly.
Once we recognise that it can fold in on itself – wherein, for example, recent
events can seem distant and more distant ones seem closer – we then have a
greater fluidity of means.” – Marc Camille Chaimowicz