Jeffrey Deitch, Los Angeles presents “Luncheon on the Grass.” The group exhibition brings together more than thirty of today’s most acclaimed painters to respond to the iconic work, Édouard Manet’s Le Déjeuner sur l’herbe (1863). The gallery hosted an all day opening on February 19, 2022 during LA’s Art Week. The exhibition has been extended through May 7, 2022 – masks and social distancing required. Be sure to check the gallery’s website for its safety guidelines and vaccine mandates.
Le Déjeuner sur l’herbe is regularly cited as the first modern painting. It is often featured as the first slide in Art History lectures about the history of modernism. However, from today’s perspective, Le Déjeuner sur l’herbe is a problematic painting. It can be interpreted as blatantly sexist and exploitative in its subject. A contemporary viewer, however, might also see the two bathers as cool, liberated women, comfortable in their nudity. The figure modeled by Victorine Meurent is strong and confident, looking back at us without embarrassment.
The artists in Luncheon on the Grass are creating new works for the exhibition. Many of the newly created works will be surprising, taking Manet’s painting as a reference point and expanding on its themes. The show will also include existing works inspired by Manet’s painting such as the ones by Alain Jacquet (1964), Robert Colescott (1979) and Jeff Koons (2014-2015).
A publication with essays by Thomas E. Crow, Aruna D’Souza and Marina Molarsky-Beck and texts about all the participating artists will be published following the exhibition.
Artists include: Nina Chanel Abney, Vanessa Beecroft, Cecily Brown, Caitlin Cherry, Joe Coleman, Robert Colescott, Somaya Critchlow, Celeste Dupuy-Spencer, Dominique Fung, Alain Jacquet, Kurt Kauper, Karen Kilimnik, Cindy Ji Hye Kim, Jeff Koons, Ella Kruglyanskaya, Liu Xiaodong, Tala Madani, Sophie Matisse, Paul McCarthy, Sam McKinniss, Jill Mulleady, Ariana Papademetropoulos, Naudline Pierre, Christina Quarles, Walter Robinson, Giangiacomo Rossetti, David Salle, Katja Seib, Tschabalala Self, Vaughn Spann, Mickalene Thomas, Salman Toor, JohnWesley, and Kehinde Wiley.
On view: February 19 –7May 8, 2022; Masks and social distancing required. Be sure to check the gallery’s website for its safety guidelines and vaccine mandates.
What: “The Emerald Tablet,” Ariana Papademetropoulos
Where: Jeffrey Deitch, 925 North Orange Drive, LA
Website: http://deitch.com
