Yu Ji’s Democratic Play

Yu Ji's solo exhibition at PPOW, New York, titled "Origin of the Tiger," presents sculptures and collages created after a residency she organized in Phnom Penh that offered art education to children. The show features works like reed mats with snail shells, a Sony Trinitron looping video, collaged drawings incorporating Cambodian children's art, and composite sculptures such as chairs with concrete knee casts and a figure inspired by a misattributed sixth-century Krishna statue. The exhibition draws on a Khmer folktale about transformation and includes audio of children reciting the story, though the children appear more as muses than collaborators.

Renoir, Matisse, and the Temptation of Spectacle

Renoir, Matisse, et la tentation du spectacle

The article criticizes two major Parisian exhibitions scheduled for 2026: "Renoir et l'amour. La modernité heureuse (1865-1885)" and "Renoir dessinateur" at the Musée d'Orsay, and "Matisse 1941-1954" at the Galeries nationales du Grand Palais. The author argues that these shows prioritize spectacle and audience appeal over scholarly rigor, using flashy titles and famous names to attract crowds like movie releases.

For Ceija Stojka, Memory Is Survival

The article reviews the exhibition "Ceija Stojka: Making Visible" at the Drawing Center in New York, showcasing over 50 paintings and drawings by the late Romani-Austrian artist. Stojka, a child survivor of the Holocaust, documented both the atrocities she endured and the tender, everyday beauty of Romani life, using acrylic, sand, and paper to convey memories of her family's traveling wagon and natural landscapes. The show highlights her self-taught practice and outsider perspective, featuring works from the 1990s alongside her memoirs, which were posthumously translated in 2022.

Un grand spectacle, un petit récit

The article reviews the latest immersive exhibition at the Atelier des Lumières in Paris, titled "Renaissance. De Vinci, Raphaël, Michel-Ange." Set in a former foundry, the show uses 360-degree projections, lasers, and artificial fog to create a technically impressive visual spectacle. However, the narrative focuses solely on three Renaissance masters—Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, and Michelangelo—leaving the historical and artistic context underexplored. The critic notes that the 50-minute presentation includes long contemplative pauses without commentary, which weakens its educational potential.