To name a few: The Venice Biennale. For the first time in its history, most of the works presented at the 59th edition of the international art exhibition in Venice, belong to female artists. The Russian artist's heritage is being shown among such talented artists as Anu Põder, Alexandra Exter, Elsa von Freytag-Loringhoven, Florence Henri, Karla Grosch, Louise Nevelson (born Leah Berliawsky) and others. In a reference to Donna Haraway’s essay A Cyborg Manifesto in the section ‘Seduction of the Cyborg’ of the exhibition, the displayed works of hybrid figures moving beyond the limitations of traditional gender and feminism, reconsider the concept of the self and the representation of a female body.
Marie Vassilieff in Cagnes-sur-Mer, 1942. Photography: Willy Maywald, Claude Bernés Collection.
Under the curatorship of Camille Morineau, Director of AWARE, and Lucia Pesapane, art historian, the exhibition "Pioneers, Women Artists of the Roaring Twenties in Paris" at the Musée du Luxembourg highlights Marie Vassilieff’s decorative art for the theatre, exposing her puppet characters on a par with such artists as Aleksandra Belcova, Anna Beothy-Steiner, Chana Orloff, Gisèle Freund, Irene Codreanu, Natalia Gontcharova, Marevna (born Marie Vorobieff), Marie Laurencin, Romaine Brooks, Sarah Lipska, Sonia Delaunay, Stefania Lazarska, Tamara de Lempicka and many others.
Exhibition “Pioneers, Women Artists of the Roaring Twenties in Paris” at the Luxembourg Museum, 2022. Photography: Didier Plowy for the Rmn – Grand Palais.
Villa Vassilieff, the new premises of the AWARE research center. Photography: Philippe Piron matali crasset, ADAGP.
In 2021, AWARE, Archives of Women Artists, Research and Exhibitions moved to Villa Vassilieff, at 21 avenue du Maine in the 15th arrondissement of Paris. It was here that, at the beginning of the 20th century, Marie Vassilieff's studio was based and her canteen for the local artistic bohemia was opened. The space, reimagined on this occasion by designer matali crasset, was an attraction for the creative intelligentsia. Until 2013, the Montparnasse Museum was located there, until 2020 the place was related to the Bétonsalon Center for Contemporary Art.
Since its creation in 2014, The AWARE Documentation Center has collected a significant amount of documents on women artists, exhibition catalogs, books on feminism in art with the main goal to increase the visibility of women artists through an international art history research. The Documentation Center at Villa Vassilieff is a place of study and meeting, where AWARE runs various workshops, conferences, residences for exhibition curators and international art historians.
The AWARE Documentation Center at Villa Vassilieff (21 avenue du Maine, 75015 Paris) welcomes researchers by appointment.
Harlequinade Perfume, 1923, Claude Bernés Collection / Harlequin costume for the Banal Ball, 1924, Photography P.Delbo, Collection Claude Bernés
To know more about Marie Vassilieff and her biography please visit the official website of the AWARE association. More information about the history of the Villa Vassilieff (before it was occupied by AWARE) you will find here.
Cover image: The 59th Venice Biennale 2022, International Art Exhibition "The Milk of Dreams",curated by Cecilia Alemani. Photography: Happening.media.
Kseniia Klimova
