GENIEVE FIGGIS: UNEARTHLY PURSUITS

Almine Rech is pleased to present Unearthly Pursuits, Genieve Figgis' solo exhibition in Venice curated by Elisa De Wyngaert.

September 29 – December 1, 2024

“Genieve Figgis is intrigued by how people interact with their environments: the drama, the choices they make and the way they perform. In Unearthly Pursuits, the protagonists blend in, yet stand out uncannily. The works evoke the allure of Venice, where visitors come to enact a romanticized version of history they were never actually part of.

Figgis depicts a time long before technology, hinting at the charade of contemporary life. Her figures pursue the idea of perfection: proudly posing as they glide past on a gondola; chitchatting at lavish parties; desiring and conspiring in sumptuous interiors; coquettishly strolling in frilly costumes. Whilst smiling politely, they are acutely aware that they are being observed. The works remind us of the history of commissioned portraits: depictions of people as they want to be seen and remembered. Despite their endearing efforts to blend in and adhere to formal etiquette, they cannot mask their yearnings, their envy, or their awkwardness. 

Genieve Figgis trusts paint to run unpredictably over the canvas, allowing an unconscious and rebellious process to occur. She embraces deformations, fluidity, and innocence, the exciting thrill of possible failure. As her figures are rendered freely in paint, she sets them free, revealing their unrestrained, unconventional and fantastical nature.

In her world, one can exist without judgment. We look on as her figures appear, seduce, and perform harmoniously in a reality where dogmatic expectations and ideals dissolve, allowing individuality, humour and strangeness to reign.” — Elisa De Wyngaert, Curator at MoMu Fashion Museum Antwerp.