To see the happy faces of some walkers this weekend, the outdoor exhibition of monumental cat statues designed by Philippe Geluck on the Champs-Élysées between the Place de la Concorde and the roundabout is rather popular.
We see his famous tomcat crushing a car, in a dance tutu, in Atlas supporting a globe full of waste ... A mobile application, Le Chat Déambule provides explanations on each work and access to an exhibition catalog .
The exhibition lasts until June.
To read also: Philippe Geluck: "With the Covid, the idiots who stir the air have become fans ..."
Open-air gallery
But here it is: these twenty bronze works of 2.7 meters are placed on the Parisian public space.
The regional elections are approaching, the controversy did not take long.
As museums and art galleries are closed due to the pandemic, the Belgian artist's outdoor exhibition is the only one to be seen in Paris at the moment.
It therefore benefited from great media coverage.
In his interviews, Philippe Geluck readily admits that this traveling exhibition should allow him
"to complete the financing of his project for a future museum of the Cat and the drawing of humor, the opening of which is announced for 2024 in Brussels."
If it is free, the benefits are expected just around the corner.
A stone's throw from the statues,
"other sculptures and preparatory drawings can be viewed on a virtual tour at Huberty & Breyne, a gallery specializing in comics for thirty years and located on avenue 36 Matignon"
, explains the artist.
This time, it is about works for sale.
They are available thanks to the click & collect set up on the gallery website.
“The open-air exhibition was very successful, especially this weekend.
Philippe Geluck will still be there on Tuesday March 30 and then return in April,
we are told at the gallery that it is closed.
To discover the works, you have to watch the filmed tour on our site with Philippe Geluck who explains his works himself.
Even if this is all a bit complicated, we have already had customers since that first weekend. ”
To read also: Charles Jaigu: "The mayor of Paris, Jeff Koons and the tourist"
"Commercial derivatives"
Here, a framed edition of 100 copies 100x70 cm costs 1700 euros, for example.
Acrylic on canvas
This child shrinks
2021 work of 100x100 cm has a price of 29,000 euros.
Immediately, the reproaches flared.
For some, Geluck's works are
"a summit of bad taste, sculptures of large surfaces"
.
They regret the time when Paris exhibited the monumental statues of Botero and Ousmane Sow.
On social networks, Jean de Loisy art critic and curator strangled:
“the only cultural event authorized during the time of closed museums: commercial products derived from Geluck's cats.
Confusion ?
Greed?
Naivety?
Heartbreaking !! ”
At the Paris City Hall, Carine Rolland's spokesperson for culture refutes all these criticisms.
“Philippe Geluck submitted his project to the city in 2018. It was carefully studied and submitted to the vote of the Paris Council at the end of 2018. The latter deliberated on the principle of making the Champs-Élysées available for this exceptional exhibition.
He gave his agreement because of the notoriety of the artist. "
Still according to this spokesperson, no taxpayer cent was spent.
“This project is 100% self-financed, it costs the City nothing, no expense is attached to it.
It is fully funded by Philippe Geluck.
In general, the City of Paris studies with the greatest benevolence any exhibition project in the public space that is presented to it. ”
