Yuz Project Space of Art
Diane Dal-Pra: Inside the Folds
Yuz Project Space of Art × Xue Zhu Bower, Panlong Tiandi, Shanghai
March 3rd, 2024 – June 9th, 2024
From March 3 to June 9, 2024, Yuz Museum is pleased to present “Inside the Folds”, the first major exhibition of the French artist Diane Dal-Pra in Asia at Yuz Project Space of Art. Comprised of over a dozen paintings created by the artist between 2021 and 2023, the exhibition will showcase Dal-Pra’s subtle observations of daily life and reflections on personal life experiences.
Dal-Pra’s paintings feature images commonly seen in daily life, such as the human body and textiles. She usually begins with composition, capturing the nuanced relationship between the body and the things around, but does not seek precise or defined narratives. Textiles are not regarded as accessories in the portrayal of human bodies or the creation of situations. Instead, Dal-Pra gives equal weight to the relationship between bodies and clothing, objects and covering, space and draperies, presenting the dual contexts in which they are contradictory but mutually dependent with each other. Building on her previous series of works, Dal-Pra continues to develop her interest in transitional states and in-between spaces inspired by her personal experience with insomnia and awareness of other lonely, private moments, further exploring the ambiguous relationships and states between bodies and objects, consciousness and perception. Objects cross the boundary between organic and inorganic bodies, becoming extensions of the body, while the body gradually dissolves and fades into the folds and textures of objects. For Dal-Pra, “the imprint or trace of a presence is there as a witness to what has gone or will soon go.” In some of her recent works, textiles even play a prominent role, whose anthropomorphic shapes suggest the absence of the body, revealing the ambiguity between presence and absence, rationality and aberration.
Titled as “Inside the Folds”, the exhibition at Yuz Project Space of Art not only carries on Dal-Pra’s long-standing interest and practices around the aesthetics of textiles and the theory of folds, but also intends to suggest an in-between zone. Folds are ubiquitous, according to Deleuze’s inventive philosophical concept of “fold (pli)”. The fold itself is “a fold of two folds” and always between two folds. Dal- Pra extends this philosophy to her understanding and application of the poetics of folds. For her, folds “create a cavity, intimacy, the possibility of an interior and an exterior.” She depicts not only the pleats of clothes, the folds of bed sheets, and the drapes of curtains, but also intends to create different forms of folds by reflecting the construction of staggered and layered spaces, the folding of body shapes, and the description of minute details, inspiring open interpretations and associations on different levels of folding.
Dal-Pra’s works feature the artistic style of classical painting, which traces back to the Renaissance period, but have also been greatly influenced by other historical styles such as Mannerism, Surrealism, and the history of painting in the 20th century. Oil paint is temporal in nature, which makes it possible for the artist to superimpose layers of colours, depict fine details, and create atmosphere and tonality. Through ascetic colour choices and rational compositions, Dal-Pra precipitates and carves time into sculpture-like existences with a sense of volume and weight in the process of meditation. This also makes Dal-Pra’s paintings, regardless of the subject matter, resemble Stilleben (still life), presenting a peaceful and silent world that is detached from the busy reality. By infusing layers of textures into small, trivial or even unnoticeable moments, crevasses of time could be found inside the folds, where one could disconnect from the here and now, evoking memories, perceptions, and imaginations.
About the Artist
Diane Dal-Pra was born in 1991 in Périgueux. She lives and works in Paris. Solo exhibitions of Dal-Pra’s work have been held in international institutions including “Dissolutions”, MOSTYN Contemporary Art Gallery, Llandudno (2023); “Remaining Parts”, Galerie Derouillon, Paris (2022); “Private Ceremonies”, MASSIMODECARLO, London (2022); “Acqua in Bocca”, Galerie Derouillon, Paris (2020); “Of Course You Are”, Cob Gallery, London (2020). Dal-Pra’s work has been exhibited in group exhibitions including “Rear View”, LGDR, New York (2023); “Immortelle”, MO.CO. Montpelier, Montpellier (2023); “Fire Figure Fantasy”, Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami (2022); “Portraiture One Century Apart”, MASSIMIODECARLO, London (2021); “Go Figure!?”, Sprüth Magers, Online (2021).
Dal-Pra’s works are included in the collections of the HEM Museum, Foshan; the Yuz Foundation, Hong Kong; the Louis Vuitton Foundation, Paris; the Fondation Lafayette Anticipations, Paris and the ICA Miami, Miami.
About Yuz Project Space of Art
Yuz Project Space of Art (PSA) is an independent program launched in partnership with Yuz Museum in September 2015. Known for public-access, Yuz Project Space of Art invites artists to create site-specific works or projects where it engages boldly with the museum, the surroundings and audiences. Combining “a project + an exhibition,” the program aims to present the interaction between the artists, time, and space.
Yuz Project Space of Art is where innovation and creation cross path. It provided an innovative platform for artists, both Chinese and international, to use this space to generate conversations toward each other with their own unique and groundbreaking artworks. Furthermore, the space invites artists to breakthrough their usual practice and explore all kinds of possibilities of Contemporary art.
About Xue Zhu Bower
Xue Zhu Bower is a timber structure courtyard building. The name of the building is to commemorate Huai Feng who was a Ming Dynasty poet in Panlong. A Ming Dynasty scholar named Youguang Gui once wrote a book Xue Zhu Bower of Xue Zhu Bower which has been passed down so far.
Exhibitions at Yuz Museum are organized in partnership with the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and Qatar Museums
About Yuz Museum
Yuz Museum Shanghai, officially opened in May of 2014, is a contemporary art museum founded by Mr. Budi Tek, a Chinese-Indonesian entrepreneur, philanthropist and collector. Yuz Museum is committed to drawing the world’s attention to Shanghai, advancing the development of contemporary Chinese art, actively engaging in the field of art education, and promoting cultural dialogues between East and West. As a non-profit institution, the museum aims to serve as a leader in exhibiting contemporary Chinese art and to build a preeminent reputation for contemporary art in China.
Since its opening in 2014, Yuz Museum has been the home of many internationally acclaimed exhibitions such as the world’s largest Giacometti Retrospective, the “Rain Room”, the Asia premieres of Andy Warhol’s “Shadow”, KAWS’s first institutional exhibition in mainland China “Where the End Starts”, “Charlie Chaplin: A Vision”, “Yoshitomo Nara”, etc. A significant part of the museum’s focus is contemporary Chinese art, and it has provided unremitting support to a number of local artists by holding their own solo exhibitions, including “Myth / History:”, “Myth / History II: Shanghai Galaxy”, “Shanghai Galaxy II”, “Twin Tracks: Yang Fudong Solo Exhibition”, “Zhou Li: Shadow of the Wind”, “Zhou Tiehai: Will / We Must”, “Qin Yifeng’s Works”, etc.
Press Contact: For additional information, contact YUZ Communications at press@yuzmshanghai.org
About LACMA
Located on the Pacific Rim, LACMA is the largest art museum in the western United States, with a collection of more than 149,000 objects that illuminate 6,000 years of artistic expression across the globe. Committed to showcasing a multitude of art histories, LACMA exhibits and interprets works of art from new and unexpected points of view that are informed by the region’s rich cultural heritage and diverse population. LACMA’s spirit of experimentation is reflected in its work with artists, technologists, and thought leaders as well as in its regional, national, and global partnerships to share collections and programs, create pioneering initiatives, and engage new audiences.
Location: 5905 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA, 90036. lacma.org
Press Contact: For additional information, contact LACMA Communications at press@lacma.org or 323 857-6522
About Qatar Museums
Qatar Museums (QM), the nation’s preeminent institution for art and culture, provides authentic and inspiring cultural experiences through a growing network of museums, heritage sites, festivals, public art installations, and programmes. QM preserves, restores, and expands the nation’s cultural offerings and historical sites, sharing art and culture from Qatar, the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia (MENASA) region with the world and enriching the lives of citizens, residents, and visitors.
Under the patronage of His Highness the Amir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and led by its Chairperson, Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, QM has made Qatar a vibrant centre for the arts, culture, and education in the Middle East and beyond. QM is integral to the goal of developing an innovative, diverse, and progressive nation, bringing people together to ignite new thinking, spark critical cultural conversations, educate and encourage environmental stewardship and sustainable practices, and amplify the voices of Qatar’s people. Since its founding in 2005, QM has overseen the Museum of Islamic Art and MIA Park, Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, the National Museum of Qatar, QM Gallery Al Riwaq, QM Gallery Katara, and the Tasweer Qatar Photo Festival. Future projects include the soon to open 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum, and Dadu, Children’s Museum of Qatar.
Through its newly created Creative Hub, QM also initiates and supports projects—such as the Fire Station Artist in Residence, the Tasweer Qatar Photo Festival and the creative hub for innovation, fashion and design M7—that nurture artistic talent and create opportunities to build a strong and sustainable cultural infrastructure.
Animating everything that Qatar Museums does is an authentic connection to Qatar and its heritage, a steadfast commitment to inclusivity and accessibility, and a belief in creating value through invention.
