Step into the world of contemporary artist Pauline Curnier Jardin who challenges conventional norms and questions the stereotype of women with her unique blend of performance art, film, sculpture and installations.

About Pauline Curnier Jardin

Pauline Curnier Jardin is a contemporary artist who combines film, sculpture, installations and performance art to create visually overwhelming and thought-provoking art. A lot of her work depicts the role of women in mythology, history, folklore and cinema. Roles that were traditionally portrayed in a very stereotypical way; as saint, mother, witch or mystical creature. Through her work, she stands up for these women, and those who identify as women, who struggle with various forms of exclusion as well as structural and systemic violence. Her layered and often humorous installations allow for reflection on the complexity of gender and the representation of the female figure in our society.

About the exhibition

Centraal Museum Utrecht has invited Pauline Curnier Jardin for her first solo exhibition in the Netherlands. In Hot Flowers, Warm Fingers, the French artist will display work from the past five years together with presentations created especially for this occurrence. She is also putting together a 'Wunderkammer' of furniture and paintings from the collection of Centraal Museum Utrecht.

Her latest work Adoration, which premiered at last year's Venice Biennale, will make its debut in the Netherlands. This collage-like film depicts the forgotten story of women in Casa di Reclusione Femminile, a Venetian prison for women. In the 16th century, they were forced to enter the convent, where they then performed plays and made themselves heard every year. Much to the amusement of the Venetian elite.

Another Story

End of 2023, Centraal Museum will open its completely renovated collection wing. On the ground and first floor, the story of the kaleidoscopic collection will be told. On the second floor, we launch Another Story, where we invite artists to present their own work in relation to the collection of the museum. Pauline Curnier Jardin will kick off and be the first to take residence here. Her idiosyncratic selection of paintings, chandeliers, furniture and floorboards will be integrated into a total installation she is creating especially for the museum.

This exhibition was made possible with the generous support of

The artist fee was supported by

Image: Pauline Curnier Jardin, Adoration, film installation, exhibition view at Casa di Reclusione Femminile della Giudecca, Liaf preview in Venice Something Out of It.
Courtesy the artist, Ellen de Bruijne PROJECTS, Amsterdam and ChertLüdde, Berlin.
Photo: Tania Innocenti. 2022