On October 19, the Paris art scene converged at 5 pm for the unveiling of Vers la paix perpétu-aile(s) / The Wings of Peace. This evocative group exhibition brings together five prominent artists from various generations—ORLAN, Émeric Lhuisset, Léa Le Bricomte, Oleg Kulik, and Esther Ferrer—to explore the concept of peace through the lens of conflict and historical struggle.
A Dialogue Between Art and Urban Reality
Walking along Rue de Turenne, the first thing that captures the attention of passers-by is the arresting image of ORLAN. Her presence is felt through a monumental self-portrait from her Nous sommes inconsolables series. The work, characterized by the artist’s face and hands pressed against her head, is framed by what appears to be shattered glass. Interestingly, the boundary between the artwork and the physical world became blurred during the exhibition’s setup.
Sarah Vinitz, the founder of the Tora and Art Foundation, noted that the exhibition’s proximity to recent demonstrations in Paris resulted in a physical crack in the gallery’s display window. Rather than repairing it, the organizers chose to keep the damage, allowing the external reality of the city to integrate with the exhibition’s theme of resisting violence. This spontaneous collaboration between the environment and the gallery space underscores the exhibition’s central premise: peace is not merely the absence of noise, but a conscious engagement with the fractures of our world.
Redefining Peace in a World at War
Co-organized by the Tora and Art Foundation and Bien En Place, the exhibition eschews traditional, sanitized depictions of tranquility. Under the curation of art historian Jean-Baptiste Chantoiseau, the show posits that true peace cannot be understood without acknowledging the pervasive reality of war and power dynamics. Chantoiseau argues that to discuss peace without confronting the violence that threatens it would be an exercise in idealism rather than a meaningful artistic statement.
At the heart of the gallery stands the white sculpture that gives the exhibition its title. Vers la paix perpétu-aile(s), crafted from marble powder in collaboration with the Grand Palais RMN workshops, depicts ORLAN in a ceremonial robe and headdress, releasing doves. This piece originated from a 2022 performance in Mérida, Mexico, symbolizing a literal and metaphorical act of liberation. Vinitz describes ORLAN as the “centrifugal force” of the project, using her art to carve out a space for dialogue where conflict has previously silenced it.
The Political Anger of ORLAN
While some works in the show offer hope, others are intentionally provocative. ORLAN’s L’Origine de la guerre is a striking lenticular photomontage that reimagines Gustave Courbet’s L’Origine du monde by substituting the female subject with a male counterpart. The piece shifts as the viewer moves, challenging traditional perceptions of gender and power. Another self-portrait from the Nous sommes inconsolables series—also currently featured at the Venice Biennale—depicts a harrowing transition from a human face to a skull. ORLAN emphasizes that these works are born of “active anger” and “political anger,” asserting that artists are pacifists who choose nuance and sensitivity over the blunt instruments of power.
Contrasting Narratives: From Battlefield Reenactments to Symbolic Sculptures
The exhibition continues with Émeric Lhuisset’s J’entends au loin la réponse des cosaques, a large-scale photograph that modernizes Ilya Repin’s 19th-century masterpiece, Reply of the Zaporozhian Cossacks. In Lhuisset’s version, the historical figures are replaced by contemporary soldiers equipped with rifles and smartphones, yet they share the same defiant laughter as their predecessors, bridging the gap between historical and modern warfare.
Léa Le Bricomte offers a different perspective with her Spirit Houses. These intricate, miniature palaces are constructed entirely from cartridge cases and bullets, transforming the machinery of death into architectural symbols of protection. Her Dripping Medals installation further explores this theme, with dozens of WWI ribbons cascading down a wall like paint, a poignant nod to the aesthetics of Color Field painting through the lens of military history.
Reflections on the Russian Experience and Childhood Symbols
Oleg Kulik’s contribution includes works from his 1999 series The Russian, dedicated to Leo Tolstoy. These monochrome images mimic the style of 19th-century realism but depict surreal, impossible scenes. In At Home, a bulldog occupies a dark interior alongside a sleeping figure and a portrait of Tolstoy, while At the Church shows a wrecked vehicle before the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour. Created over 25 years ago, these works now feel like a prophetic commentary on the social and political landscape of modern Russia.
Nearby, Esther Ferrer’s Juguetes educativos (Educational Toys) uses the innocence of play to deliver a sobering message. Encased in Plexiglas, her collection of toy guns and soldiers features anatomical modifications that highlight the dark reality of sexual violence as a tactical weapon of war. This blunt confrontation of social issues is a hallmark of the artists selected for this show.
A Collective Vision for a Different Society
For ORLAN, the exhibition is as much about friendship and mutual respect as it is about art. She expresses a deep admiration for her fellow exhibitors—Lhuisset, Ferrer, Le Bricomte, and Kulik—describing them as “committed artists” who look beyond the commercial demands of the art market to address the world around them. This shared commitment to social critique creates a rich dialogue between the diverse works on display.
The opening attracted a prestigious crowd from the international art community, including Eugenio Viola of the MADRE museum and representatives from the Louvre and Centre Pompidou. Their presence highlighted the exhibition’s significance as a collective action. Sarah Vinitz concludes that culture’s true purpose is to foster relationships. By encouraging visitors to listen and find common ground amidst conflict, the exhibition invites everyone to become a “co-author of change” in the pursuit of a more peaceful society.
Summary of Key Takeaways
The Wings of Peace serves as a powerful reminder that contemporary art is at its most potent when it refuses to look away from uncomfortable truths. By juxtaposing images of beauty and liberation with the harsh realities of ballistics and political strife, the exhibition challenges viewers to rethink their understanding of pacifism. Through the combined voices of ORLAN and her contemporaries, the show proves that art is not just a decorative commodity, but a vital tool for social dialogue and a catalyst for global empathy.
