June 2023 again: bitting and bobbing

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Since Mamali Shafahi installed his Hereditary Fountain at 3537 in the Marais, I've been to a number of exhibitions, big and small, that I thought I'd better record, briefly, before I get on to the Palais de Tokyo's new summer show. That 3537 group exhibition was one example, on a bigger-than-usual scale, of fashion and contemporary art somehow coming together. During what I believe was yet another men's fashion week, there were various relatively brief art events, one of which, organised by Manifesto and GOAT (don't ask, because I don't know), took place at the French Communist Party's famous HQ, designed by Oscar Niemeyer. As one of the artists was Jon Rafman, and as I'd never set foot in the building before, I went.


I spent quite a long time sitting in the squidgy seats Rafman had characteristically installed to watch his videos, and in fact chatted with him briefly when he turned up for lunch. But I was also very taken by an installation, in an underground meeting room, by Erwan Sene - three little boxes containing 'mini-installations' in particular.


Not long after, following the initial launch in NYC, Reza Shafahi's book, published by Apartamento magazine, was also launched in Paris, at the uber-trendy Ofr. bookshop, near the square du Temple. As it has a gallery space at the back, the shop organised a little exhibition, still on at the time of my writing this post, including some works 'borrowed' from my bedroom and bathroom.


Meanwhile, Mamali Shafahi, Reza's son, was showing a turquoise-coloured flocked relief I'd never seen before in another group exhibition at Strouk.



Then, at Lafayette Anticipations, there was a solo show of work by Pol Taburet, whom I first came across when Balice Hertling introduced him at their Belleville space, I guess in 2019. He's now doing very well, and I'm sorry I didn't buy anything at that first show, as I like his work, especially the 'El Greco' colours, though some people still have doubts about his technique - the finish in particular. 


I think for the exhibition Toucher Terre at the Espace Monte Cristo, I'll do a separate post. So the last of these 'bits and bobs' will be a group exhibition in the chapel of the Ecole des Beaux Arts, which I went to mainly to see what Rayan Yasmineh was showing. The chapel makes an intriguing space for a show of work by young artists, whose installations really made the most of the quirky space.







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