The Opening Gallery is pleased to announce ORLAN: A Retrospective, a solo exhibition of works by ORLAN curated by Sozita Goudouna, PhD. Installed across the first floor of 42 Walker St, this monographic survey attempts to provide an in-depth examination of ORLAN’s life, artistic practices, and contributions to contemporary art. 

Offering an overview of ORLAN's life, including her education, early influences, and career milestones, the exhibition will explore ORLAN’s conceptual framework, focusing on themes such as identity, the body, and the use of technology in art. ORLAN's fearless exploration of identity and beauty continue to resonate within the art community and inspire ongoing exploration of these vital themes. Through her provocative performances, ORLAN engages audiences in critical discussions about beauty standards, identity, and the role of the artist.

Her works challenge viewers to reflect on their perceptions and biases, fostering a deeper understanding of how societal norms shape individual identities. ORLAN's most notable work involves using her own body as a medium for artistic expression. By undergoing a series of plastic surgeries, she transforms herself into a living artwork, challenging conventional standards of beauty and raising questions about the commodification and objectification of female bodies. This radical approach redefines the relationship between the artist and their work, blurring the lines between art and life. The artist’s entire oeuvre confronts and critiques patriarchal standards of beauty and femininity, advocating for women's autonomy over their bodies and identities. ORLAN's performances often engage with themes of feminism and the role of women in art history, making her a crucial voice in feminist art discourse. Her performances serve as powerful commentaries on the societal pressures women face, positioning her as a significant voice in feminist art history. By confronting and subverting patriarchal norms, she has created a space for dialogue around women's agency in the art world. 

ORLAN is regarded as a pivotal figure in art history owing to her revolutionary contributions to performance art. Her performances often incorporate elements of humor and irony, further subverting traditional notions of beauty. By presenting herself in unexpected ways, ORLAN invites audiences to engage with and reflect on their own beliefs about beauty, identity, and the body. This engagement fosters a critical dialogue around the pressures women face regarding appearance and the societal constructs that shape these perceptions. In addition to her physical transformations, ORLAN utilizes digital media and technology to expand her artistic practice. Her works often incorporate video, photography, and interactive elements, reflecting the intersection of art and technology.  

Her impact on art history is profound, as she has redefined notions of beauty, challenged societal norms, and inspired new dialogues within the art community. Her innovative approach and commitment to exploring complex themes continue to resonate, making her a vital figure in contemporary art.

About the Artist:

ORLAN is an internationally acclaimed French artist. She is not tied to any one material, technology or artistic practice. She creates sculptures, photographs, performances, videos, and videogames, augmented reality, artificial intelligence and robotics (she has created a robot in her own image that speaks with her voice) using scientific and medical technics like surgery and biogenetic. Those are only mediums for her, the idea prevails and the materiality pursues. ORLAN makes her own body the medium, the raw material, and the visual support of her work. It takes place as the “public debate”. She is a major figure of the body art and of “carnal art” as she used to define it in her 1989 manifesto.

Her commitment and her liberty are an integral part of her work. She defends innovative, interrogative and subversive positions, in her entire artwork. ORLAN changes constantly and radically the datas, which disrupt conventions, and “ready-made thinking”. She is opposed to the natural determinism, social and politic and to all domination forms, male supremacy, religion, cultural segregation and racism, etc. Always mixed with humor, often-on parody or even grotesque, her provocative artworks can shock because she shakes up the pre-established codes.

ORLAN won the E-reputation award, designating the most observed and followed artist on the Web.

2. HONORS, AWARDS, GRANTS AND PRIZES

ORLAN has received several awards and grants throughout her career:

In 2020, ORLAN was made President of Hundred Heroines (London)

In 2019, ORLAN received the Maestro Academico Emerito by Academia Di Belle Arti Di Roma delivered by the director of the Academia, Tiziana D’Acchille.

In 2019, ORLAN was honored by the special price of the Woman of the year by the Prince of Monte-Carlo (Monaco).

In 2018, ORLAN received the Hundred Heroines of Photography price from The Royal Photograhic Society at Paris Photo (Paris)

In 2017 she received the International Award for Female Excellence from the Ministry of International Affairs in Genoa (Italy)

In 2013 she received the E-REPUTATION Great Prize by Alexia Guggemos at Christie’s in Paris (France).

In 2010, ORLAN was made Chevalier de l’ordre national du Mérite and received the medal from Fréderic Mitterrand, then Minister of Culture.

In 2007, during the retrospective of her work at the Musée d’Art Moderne of her native town of Saint-Étienne, ORLAN received the Golden Medal of Saint-Étienne and the Bronze Medal of Saint-Étienne Métropole.

In 2004 she won the top prize at The Moscow Festival of Photography (Russia).

In 2003, ORLAN was made Chevalier de L’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Ministry of Culture. The medal was delivered by Jean-Jacques Aillagon, then Minister of Culture.

In 1999 she was awarded the Arcimboldo Prize for digital photography from Hewlett Packard (France) and won the Griffel-Kunst Prize in Hamburg (Germany).

In 1993 she received the Prix Mona Lisa and Prix Lavoisier (France).

In 1989 and 1992 she received two grants from FIACRE (Fonds d’Innovation Artistique et Culturelle en Rhône-Alpes) for her research and residency in Chennai (Former Madras, India).

In 1967 she received the Top Prize from the ‘Bourse du Travail’ in Saint-Étienne (France).

3. ARTISTIC RESIDENCES

In 2016, ORLAN was invited by the Getty Research Institute in Los Angeles, CA (U.S.A) to participate on their Scholar Research and Residence Program.

In 2008 she was also a guest at SymbioticA, the art an science collaborative research laboratory of the University of Western Australia in Perth (Australia).

In 2007 she was invited by the Getty Institute in Los Angeles, CA (U.S.A.) to participate in their Scholar Research and Residence Program.

In 2005 ORLAN was a guest at the ISCP (International Studio and Curatorial Program) in New York, NY (U.S.A.), sponsored by the AFAA (Association Française d’Action Artistique).

4. PUBLIC COMMISSIONS

ORLAN produced two large installations for :

The Medical School of the Nantes University , France.

The Medical Library of Nantes University, France.

5. MAIN RETROSPECTIVES

Several Retrospectives have been dedicated to ORLAN:

Musée de la Photographie (MEP), ORLAN EN CAPITALES in Paris (France) curated by Jérôme Neutres (2017)

Museum of Contemporary Art, MACRO, ORLAN Retrospective in Roma (Italy), curated by: Alessandra Mammi (2017)

Sungkok Art Museum, ORLAN-Techno-Body Retrospective 1966-2016 in Seoul (Republic of Korea), curated by Soukyoun Lee (2016)

FRAC Normandie, ORLAN TODAY in Caen (France), curated by Sylvie Froux (2016)

Museo de Arte Moderno de Bogota, ORLAN / Hybridaciones y Refiguraciones in Bogota (Colombia) curated by Ricardo Arcos-Palma (2012)

Museum van Hedendaagse Kunst, M HKA, MesuRages (1968-2012) Action: ORLAN-body in Antwerp (Belgium) curated by Bart de Baere (2012)

Prometeo Gallery, ORLAN AAKA ORLAN in Milan (Italy), curated by Eugenio Viola (2010).

Tallin Art Hall, ORLAN: Post Identity Strategies in Tallinn (Estonia), curated by Eugenio Viola (2008).

Museum of Modern Art of Saint-Etienne, Le Récit, retrospective in Saint-Etienne (France), curated by Lorand Hegyi and Eugenio Viola (2007).

CCC (Center of Contemporary Creation), ORLAN, in Tours (France), curated by Alain Julien-Laferrière (2004).

National Center of Photography (CNP), ORLAN 1964-2004. . . Artist’s methods, retrospective exhibitionin Paris (France), curated by Regis Durand (2004).

FRAC Pays de la Loire, Éléments favoris, retrospective in Nantes (France), curated by Jean François Taddei (2002).

Centro de Fotografía, Universidad de Salamanca, Retrospective 1964-2001 in Salamanca (Spain) curated by Olga Guinot (2002)

6. BIENNALES

ORLAN’s work has been featured in several Biennales of Contemporary Art:

In France at Enghien-les-bains at the Bains Numériques (2018);

In Ukraine at the Kyiv International (2017);

In Pakistan at the Karachi Biennale (2017);

In Peru at the Lima Biennale (2016);

In Senegal at the Dakar Biennale (2016);

In Mali at the Bamako Biennale (2015);

In Italy at the Venice Biennale (1986, 1993, 1997, 2007, 2009, 2013, 2017);

In Greece at the Thessaloniki Biennale (2011);

In Russia at the Moscow Biennale (2004, 2009);

In Poland at the Poznan Biennale (2008);

In South Korea at the Busan Biennale (2016, 2008) and the Changwon Biennale (2016);

In Australie at the Sydney Biennale (1992); Biennale of Electronic Arts Perth Stillness (2007);

In Spain at the Valencia Biennale (2003);

In Turkey at the Istanbul Biennale (2001);

In France at FIAC Paris Biennale (1975, 1980), Nice Biennale (1981)

In France at Lyon Biennale (1995, 2000);

In Yugoslavia at the Ljubljana Biennale (1987).

7. EXHIBITION PLACES

ORLAN’s work has been featured in several exhibitions all over the world.

In France : Center Georges Pompidou, Palais de Tokyo, Musée d’Orsay, Maison Européenne de la Photographie, Centre National de la Photographie, Musée Bourdelle (Paris), Centre de Création Contemporaine (CCC) de Tours, Musée d’art contemporain de Marseille, Musée des Beaux-Arts de Nantes, Musée du Nouveau Monde La Rochelle, Musée d’Art Moderne de Saint-Étienne, Villa Arson, Nice, etc…

In the U.S.A : Andy Warhol Museum, Pittsburgh, PA; LACMA and MOCA, Los Angeles, CA; PS1, New York, NY; Bass Museum, Miami, FL; Schmidt Center Gallery Public Space of Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL; Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum, Saint-Louis, MO; Sheldon Museum, Lincoln, NE, etc…

In Canada: Art Galerie of Vancouver, Le lieu, Quebec, MacLuhan Science Center, Toronto.

In Colombia: Museo de Arte Moderno de Bogota; Academia Superior de Artes de Bogota; Museo de Antioquia, Medellin

In Belgium: Museum aan der Stroom, Antwerpen; M HKA Museum, Antwerpen; Musée d’Art et d’histoire de Lessines.

In Italy : MADRE Museum, Napoli ; Palazzo Strozzi, Florence ; Palazzo delle Esposizioni, Rome; Palazzo Grassi and Palazzo Franchetti, Venise ; Museo D’Arte Moderna e Contemporanea di Trento e Rovereto, Rovereto.

In Germany : Gemäldegalerie, Berlin ; Kunstmuseum, Ahlen; KW Institute for Contemporary Art, Berlin; Städtische Galerie, Karlsruhe; Kunstraum Dreieich, Frankfurt.

In Austria: Kunsthalle and MAK, Vienna.

In Luxembourg: Casino Luxembourg.

In Spain: Fundación Joan Miró, Barcelona; Artium Museum, Vitoria; Museo de la Fotografía, Salamanca; MACBA, Madrid.

In Switzerland: Musée de l’Elysée, Lausanne.

In Russia: Maison de la Photographie, Laboratoria Art&Science Space and Manege, Moscow.

In South Korea : National Museum of Contemporary Art, Seoul; Busan Museum, Busan ; Daejeon Museum of Art, Daejeon; Sungkok Museum, Seoul.

In Japan: Red Brick Warehouse, Yokohama; The National Museum of Art, Osaka.

8. LECTURES AND MASTER-CLASSES

ORLAN taught at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena (CA, U.S.A.).

She was also a professor at the École Nationale Supérieure d’Arts de Paris-Cergy (ENSAPC).

She is regularly invited by universities and institutions worldwide to give lectures and Master-classes, such as :

U.S.A : Florida Atlantic University (Boca Raton, FL), University of South Florida (St Petersburg, FL), University of Nebraska (Lincoln, NE), New York University, Standford University (San Francisco, CA), University of California (Santa Barbara, CA), Otis College of Art and Design (Los Angeles,CA), Getty Research Institute (Los Angeles, CA), CalArts (Valencia, CA)

France: École Nationale des Beaux Arts, ENSBA (Paris, Dijon, Lyon, Marseille, Grenoble, Saint-Étienne, Nantes, Nice, Toulouse, etc.), Sorbonne University (Paris), Sciences Po (Paris).

In the United Kingdom: Intelligence Square Institute, ICA (Institute of Contemporary Art), London; University of Nottingham.

In Germany: Art Academy, Berlin, Fine Arts University, Hamburg.

In Australia: College of Fine Arts of the University of New South Wales.

She has also taught in South-Korea, Canada, Spain, Poland, Latvia, Sweden, Austria, etc…

9. PUBLIC AND PRIVATE COLLECTIONS

The Centre Pompidou (Paris, France) has selected ORLAN’s “Kiss of the Artist” (1977) from the MNAM collections, to appear in their book “100 Masterpieces of the 20th Century”. Her works are part of several public and private collections such as :

In Europe: Centre Georges Pompidou, Maison Européenne de la Photographie (Paris) Musée de la Photo de Bièvre, Musée d’Epinal, Musée du Nouveau Monde de La Rochelle, Musée d’Art Moderne de Saint-Etienne, Musée des Beaux-Arts de Nantes, FNAC (National Fund of Contemporary Art), FRAC (Regional Fund of Contemporary Art) of FRAC Pays de la Loire, FRAC Ile-de-France, FRAC Rhône-Alpes, FRAC Basse-Normandie, Arthotèque la Réunion, MHKA (Antwerp, Belgium), etc …

In the U.S.A : MoMa (Museum of Modern Art), New-York, LACMA, The Andy Warhol Museum (Pittsburgh, Penn), The Getty Museum, MOCA (Los Angeles, CA), Frederick R. Weisman Art Foundation (Malibu, CA), Sheldon Museum of Art (Lincoln, NE)

In Asia: The National Museum of Art (Osaka, Japan), Sungkok Museum (Seoul, South Korea)

In Africa : Mali National Museum (Bamako, Mali), The Bandjoun Station (Bandjoun, Cameroun), …

10. MAIN MONOGRAPHS

ORLAN’s works has been published in a large number of books, including several recent monographs, such as :

Laurence Devillers, Ariel Kyrou and Virginie Martin, “ORLANoid hybrid robot with artificial and collective intelligence”, Editions Lienart, Paris 2018.

Jérôme Neutres, Shelley Rice, Tatyana Franck, Jean-Luc Monterosso, “ORLAN ARTIST IN THE CAPITAL”, Éditions SKIRA, Paris, 2016.

Frédéric Acquaviva, “ORLAN Exogène”, AcquAvivA, 2017

Domenica Quaranta, “ORLAN TechnoBody Retrospective 1966-2016”, Éditions Scala, South-Korea, France, 2016.

Moon Soon Park, Soukyoun Lee, Jinsang Yoo, Donatien Grau, Philippe Piguet, Imma Prieto,
Domenica Quaranta, “ORLAN TechnoBody Retrospective 1966-2016”, Éditions Scala, South-Korea, France, 2016.

Donatien Grau, Jackie-Ruth Meyer, Philippe Piguet, Imma Prieto, Domenico Quaranta, “ORLAN, Striptease des cellules jusqu’à l’os”, Editions Scala, Paris, 2015.

Inese Baranovska, Catherine Grenier, Dominique Païni, Jean-Pierre Rehm; “ORLAN, The Icon of the French Contemporary Art”, Editions Neputns, Riga, Latvia, 2014.

Jose Ignacio Benito Climent, “El Arte-Carnal en ORLAN, hacia una estetica del sacrificio”, Editions Devenir, Madrid, Spain, 2013.

Hubert Besacier, Alain Charre, Bart De Baere, Sophie Gregoir and Win Van Mulders, “ORLAN mesuRages (1968-2012) actions: ORLAN-body”, M HKA, Antwerp, Belgium, 2012.

Ricardo Arcos-Palma, Nicolas Bourriaud and Michael La Chance, “Art Charnel et Corps Obsolète / Hybridations et Refigurations”, Editions Musée Antioquia, Medellin, Colombia, 2012.

Anne Morelli, Johan Muyle and Pierre-Olivier Rollin, “Est-ce que vous êtes Belge? ORLAN”, Yellow Now/ENSAV La Cambre, Brussels, Belgium, 2012.

Blandine Chavanne, Christine Buci-Glucksmann and Camille Morineau, “Un Boeuf Sur la Langue”, Éditions Fage, Lyon, France, 2011.

Rhonda K. Garelick and Jorge Daniel Veneciano, Homi K. Bhabha, Michel Serres, Isabel Tejeda, Paul Virilio, Lan Vu and Faboulous Harlequin, “ORLAN and the patchwork self”, The University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln, NE, USA, 2010.

Simon Donger, Simon Shepherd, Gianna Bouchard, Christine Buci-Glucksmann, Howard Caygill, Simon Donger, Sander L. Gilman, Markus Hallensleben, Jens Hauser, Dominic Johnson, Stéphane Malysse, Hans-Ulrich Obrist, Catherine Petitgas, Simon Shepherd, Paul Virilio and Sarah Wilson, “ORLAN, a Hybrid Body of Artworks”, Routledge Editions, London, UK, 2010.

Raphael Enthoven, Raoul Vaneigem and ORLAN, “Unions Mixtes, Mariages Libres et Noces Barbares”, Editions Dilecta, Paris, France, 2010.

Paul Virilio and ORLAN, “Transgression, transfiguration “, Editions L’Une et L’Autre, Paris, France, 2009.

Joerg Bader, Lorand Hegyi, Marcela Iacub, Donald Kuspit, Peggy Phelan, Eugenio Viola, ORLAN, The Narrative/Le Récit, Éditions Charta, Milan, Italy, 2007.

Bernard Blistène, Christine Buci-Glucksmann, Caroline Cros, Régis Durand, Eleanor Heartney, Laurent Le Bon, Hans Ulrich Obrist, Vivian Rehberg, Julian Zugazagoitia and ORLAN, “ORLAN, Carnal Art”, Éditions Flammarion, Paris, France, 2004.

Marc Partouche, Monographie CD-Rom et Papier, Se placer au center du monde, ORLAN, Editions Jériko, 2000.

11. GALLERIES

ORLAN is represented by:

• Ceysson & Bénétière Gallery, Paris (France)
• Prometeo Gallery, Milan (Italy)
• Stux Gallery, New-York (USA)
• Sejul Gallery, Seoul (South Korea)
• Ace Gallery, Los Angeles (USA)
• Espaivisor Gallery, Valencia (Spain)
• Hélène Lamarque Gallery, Miami (USA)

12. COLLABORATIONS

Bob Wilson

Fabrice Hyber for the ” Orlanoïde ” project with Pasteur Institute (2017)

Jan Fabre in workshop (2017)

Roberto Battistini for ” Hybridization Serge Gainsbourg and Salvador Dali ” (2016)

 Mael Le Mée for her performance ” Tangible Striptease en Nanoséquences ” at Paris-Diderot Universtity (2016) and CDA Enghien-Les-Bains (2016)

 Chicks On Speed, for the Vinyl Factory – Soho House (Berlin, Germany) (2016)

 Guillaume Paris for the project “A Winter Story” at the Shunt in London (United Kingdom) (2009)

Laboratory SymbioticA in Perth (Australia) for “Le Manteau d’Arlequin” (2008) 

Choreographers Karine Saporta in Paris (2002) and Emio Greco/PC for the Avignon festival (2008) 

Perfumer Christophe Laudamiel, from International Flavors & Fragrances Inc (IFF) for the perfume “Le Baiser de l’artiste” (2007) 

Jan Fabre for her performance “MesuRage d’Institution” at the Troubleyn / Laboratorium in Antwerpen (Belgium) (2007)

Philippe Chiambaretta for “Pièce Lumineuse” in the CCC of Tours and at the Palais de Tokyo in Paris in (2005) 

Fréderic Sanchez for the original soundtrack of the video “Bien que… Oui mais!” (2003) 

Musicians of the group Tanger for the original soundtrack of the video “Le Plan du film” (2001) 

Director Stephan Oriach in “ORLAN, Carnal art” (2001) 

Fashion designers Walter Van Beirendonck, Jeremy Scott, Maroussia Rebecq of Andrea Crews, Davidelfin and Agatha Ruiz de la Prada 

Fashion designer Walter Van Beirendonck and photographer Juergen Teller for the book Believe! (1998), among others