Navigating Through Louise Bonnet’s ’30 Ghosts’ at the Esteemed Gagosian Gallery

Gagosian Gallery prepares to unveil 30 Ghosts, a riveting exhibit spotlighting ten new masterpieces by Louise Bonnet, beginning November 8, 2023, located at 541 West 24th Street in New York. This event marks the anticipated return of the Los Angeles–based artist to New York’s art scene since her acclaimed exhibition, The Hours, at Park & 75 in 2020.

The essence and thematic core of the exhibition find inspiration in the profound words of Arthur C. Clarke’s seminal work, 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), exploring the subtle echoes of the past that resonate within the present. Bonnet immerses herself in the exploration of continuity and futurity, weaving through the unseen threads that link individual universes across time, each resonating as a unique echo within a collective symphony of existence.

30 Ghosts intertwines the omnipresent shadow of mortality with the delicate elegance of seventeenth-century Dutch still-life creations. The exhibition contrasts symbolic vanitas elements like luxurious drapery, fruits, and florals with Bonnet’s signature renderings of exaggerated, constrained human forms. This intricate amalgamation casts light on the eternal interplay between existence and the void, painting a spectral yet entrancing visual narrative.

Bonnet’s work radiate a dreamlike exaggeration of gender and physiological elements, reflecting a consciousness of enduring artistic themes and intricate contemporary correlations. For instance, the flower in Red Spider Lily becomes a multidimensional emblem, portraying not only separation, loss, and mortality but also signifying reincarnation and the afterlife, illustrating the myriad of interpretations and emotional responses drawn forth by symbolic elements.

Themes of hands and feet reverberate prominently throughout 30 Ghosts, symbolizing the constant struggle and innate desires intrinsic to human existence. These depictions act as reminders of our earthly bindings, juxtaposing the otherworldly with human vulnerability to desires and toil. Lemon and Foot, for example, juxtaposes the symbol of grounded reality with that of prosperity and nourishment, highlighting the delicate balance between the spiritual and the substantial.

Bonnet’s art intertwines various symbolic elements, drawing the observer into a meditative exploration through time, space, and awareness, eliciting reflections on the unseen connections spanning across epochs.

Bonnet will engage in a stimulating dialogue with Stefanie Hessler, the director of the Swiss Institute, New York, at the gallery on November 15, 2023, at 6:30 pm. This conversation will further augment the diverse narrative tapestry of 30 Ghosts.

30 Ghosts, brought forth by Gagosian Gallery, unravels as an odyssey through life, death, and the fleeting whispers of bygone existences. Through rich symbolism and artistic prowess, Bonnet beckons the spectators on a reflective voyage, navigating the delicate dance between the spiritual and the substantial, the yesteryears and the now, revealing the intricate layers of human consciousness and our inherent symbiosis with the cosmos. Learn more at gagosian.com.