MICHEL SOSKINE INC. is pleased to present on May 4, 2017, the first solo exhibition in Spain of French artist, Agathe Pitié (1986). The exhibition will show 34 recent color and black and white works on paper.
Agathe Pitié describes herself as a Medieval Punk Artist exploring old myths of illuminati masters of Middle Ages using a method of representation “Horror vacui“ to create a cosmogony where ancient characters and myths coexist in a close dialogue with images of contemporary icons of pop culture.
Through her unique figurative compositions, lions, deer, goats, snails, dragons and ninja turtles live together with criminals, soldiers, street gangs, kings and queens in a personal alchemy where a crying Sun, an astonished Moon or the Fire, float above scenes in conflict. Agathe Pitié’s range of references is wide, the viewer navigates the drawings as anyone would the internet, randomly jumping from one visual reference to the next, gradually weaving the links that tie these seemingly unrelated elements, together. The constant availability of information and the rapidity of its dissemination have profoundly changed the structure and the functioning of society, as well as the social development of individuals. A simple search on the Web provides access to an infinite amount of information which the artist must then select and arrange. The international and eternal dimension of her compositions and art pieces are also an example of popular Ad culture. The cultural mix imagined by Agathe Pitié, a genuine syncretism, creates a new ensemble that radically transforms the classical version of each narrative depicted. She surfs the internet, and also the Deep Web, jumping from link to link so as to forge an original path extracted from the mass of information explored.
Drawing requires few resources, it is a medium that allows for the immediate reproduction of information. Considered to be the first art form on earth its existence, as evidenced by cave paintings, dates back to prehistoric times. The Internet, on the other hand, provides instant access to information. The screen becomes a way of communicate with the outside world, from the solitude of a bedroom, office or studio. The simplicity of the medium makes it the most appropriate form of expression. Pitié takes her inspiration from those artists commonly referred to as “visionary” painters, such as Albrecht Dürer, and Martin Schongauer, two artists that she admires and has closely examined. She creates contemporary illuminated compositions that describe contemporary themes with a medieval aesthetic. Her huge research guides her images describing a detailed cultural anthropology of the contemporary world.
Since 2014, Agathe Pitié started drawing figurative artworks about the history of street criminals in the contemporary world, especially from America`s gang band history: “Oso Blanco” (2016) describing the life of Carlos Torres Iriarte and the Gang Association “Ñeta” in the Maximum Security Prison of Puerto Rico; “MaraBuntas” (2017) a composition that show the “Mara”, a street gang originated in Los Angeles by Salvadoran immigrants, and the “Salvatrucha” guerrillas. With her highly personal view of human history in the contemporary world, Agathe Pitié develops her humorous drawings and paintings like in the “Darwin Awards” series (2016), images of individuals who have supposedly contributed to human evolution by selecting themselves out of the gene pool via death or sterilization by their own stupidity. “Sada Abe” (2017) a Japanese ex-Geisha remembered for erotically asphyxiating her lover, then cutting off his penis and testicles, and walk around with his penis inside her for several days. “Trojan horse” (2016) a plastic construction about those malicious computer program which are used to hack into a computer by misleading users of its true intent, generally spreading by some form of social engineering.
Agathe Pitié born in Castres, France, in 1986. Graduated in 2010 with honors at the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts of Paris (ENSBA). A monographic exhibition was held at the Musée d’art Moderne de Saint Étienne in 2014, and she also was included in group exhibitions at the Musée départemental d’art contemporain de Rochechouart in 2017; at MIAM, Musée International des Arts Modestes in 2017; Salle Comtesse de Caen on 2015, Académie de France, Paris; Monasterio Santa María de Veruela in 2015, Zaragoza; Casa de Velázquez in 2014, Madrid.
A long interview to Agathe Pitié, exploring her process of creation is going to be released in June 2017, by HEY! Revue d’art of Modern Art and Pop culture by Ankama editions.
AGATHE PITIÉ
From May 4 to June 11, 2017.
Opening: Thursday, May 4, at 8pm, with the artist.