International painter and sculptor, with works present in many museum and private collections Thomas Houseago was born in Leeds (UK) in 1972, but has lived and worked in Los Angeles since 2003.
Through the use of materials such as wood, plaster, iron and bronze, it is part of the sculptural tradition of Henry Moore, Georg Baselitz, Bruce Nauman, where the concept and research focuses mainly on the human figure in space.
For the artist, the monumental spaces that house the exhibition are an integral part of Almost Human. The building itself, the bas-reliefs by Alfred Auguste Janniot from 1937 and the Eiffel Tower contribute to the exhibition, immersing the works in this architectural context. Often large, Houseago's sculptures oscillate between strength and fragility.
Furthermore, the exhibition includes Striding Figure II (Ghost), a monumental work in bronze installed on the esplanade of the museum. La The presentation is organized in four rooms which represent both the main geographical phases of the artist and his intimate relationship with his materials.
The exhibition begins with the dynamic and anthropomorphic sculptures that make up Houseago's initial production and reflect the atmosphere of his studios. It is precisely his use of rough, sometimes colored plaster that enhances the impression of works in search of balance.
The second room focuses on hybrid and experimental pieces that bridge the gap between ancient figuration and the architectural immersive sculpture of his ongoing researches,
The third room houses monumental and darker visions. L'homme pressé, a gigantic bronze behemoth opposes the horizontality of Wood Skeleton I (father), a sculpture of a reclining figure, while the massive series of Black Paintings, full of the sense of isolation and somber introspection, lines the walls in a frieze.
The fourth room is dedicated to immersive sculpture, cast Studio (stage - chairs - bed - mound - grotto - bathroom - tomb), made especially for the exhibition. Accompanied by a film and photographs documenting his making, this work, made in clay, serves as a transcript of the artist's movements and actions, marking Houseago's return to the performative dimension present in his early works.
Curator: Olivia Gaultier-Jeanroy
