Just two weeks after picking up the prestigious Golden Bear at the Berlinale, actor Tilda Swinton is already on to her next project. But this time, she is taking up the role as an exhibition curator.
The Oscar-winning actor is taking helm of “Supersonic Mediaeval,” an exhibition of British artist and designer Marianna Kennedy set to take place at Christie’s Paris from May 5 through 11. This retrospective delves into Kennedy’s practice and use of materials from resin and wood to bronze and Murano glass in her artisan oeuvre through the eyes of Swinton, who is a long-time admirer and collector of Kennedy’s work. This event is organized by PLVR Zurich.
Tilda Swinton, right, and Marianna Kennedy. Courtesy of Christie’s Images Ltd.
“Marianna’s work has always sprung from and lived in, for me, a particularly sweet spot, one where the ancient and resonant meet the unknown and surprising,” noted Swinton in a statement. Earlier this month, she was presented the honorary Golden Bear for lifetime achievement at the Berlinale, during which she gave a headline-grabbing speech.
The exhibition’s title, which playfully juxtaposes two seemingly contradictory concepts, pays homage to the actor’s admiration of Kennedy’s practice of skillfully blending art and craftsmanship, modernity and tradition, through her creation of objects such as carved and gilded mirrors and lamps.
“This is the landscape of the ‘Supersonic Mediaeval,’ invested in exquisite craftsmanship and joyful color and merging the familiar and the fresh: its atmosphere brings with it a breath to the heart of condition, renewal, and of bright new horizons ahead,” Swinton added.
The Canadian-born Kennedy went to the National College of Art in Dublin and furthered her studies at the Slade School of Art in London. In 2006, she began making her now iconic gilded mirrors at her studio in Spitalfields, London, where she is still based today. Her elegant body of work, made with refined, contemporary techniques and precious materials, are in the many private collections.
Marianna Kennedy’s mirror and lamp. Courtesy of Christie’s Images Ltd.
Swinton and Kennedy were introduced by a mutual friend, and they were connected by a shared passion for collaborating with artisans, which involves the contemporary reinterpretation of historical craft techniques. Drawing inspiration from the houses and neighborhood of Spitalfields, which has a history of silk-weaving brought by the French Huguenot Protestants and is a culturally diverse area, the show is expected to carry a cinematic vibe, inviting visitors to immerse themselves in an imagined theatrical set while experiencing Kennedy’s work.
“I have always been inspired by Tilda’s unique artistic vision combined with a playful sense of collaboration. We both share a respect for craftsmanship and a love of beauty, bridging the gap between the past and present but always looking forward. For us, the past is always new,” Kennedy noted in a statement.
Throughout Swinton’s film career, she maintained close ties with art and artists. She made her film debut in in 1986, directed by Derek Jarman, who was also an artist whose works have been exhibited at galleries in recent years.
In 2019, she organized her first art show, “Orlando,” at the Aperture Foundation in New York as a curator. Named after Virginia Woolf’s 1928 novel of the same title, the exhibition featured more than 50 works by 11 artists, who explored the themes of identity and transformation in the book as well the 1992 film adaptation starring the Swinton. Last year, she played the role of a harried art-world outsider in the satire .
Source: Exhibition - news.artnet.com
