Olga de Amaral is one of the world’s most talented textile artists, but strangely, her work is not shown in Europe that much. That has changed now, and de Amaral is having a major retrospective in Paris at the Fondation Cartier with 80 of her pieces from the last 50 years.
Born and still living in Colombia, de Amaral studied at the prestigious Cranbrook Academy in Michigan from 1954 to 1955. She started producing large and intricate fiber sculptures in the 1960s, and she went on to receive many, major awards from some of the top art institutions around the world. Her work can be seen in Tate Modern, MoMA, the Musée d'Art Moderne de la ville de Paris and the Art Institute of Chicago.
The Fondation Cartier is a perfect fit for de Amaral’s large works, with its super tall ceilings and floor to ceiling glass walls on the main floor. On the right side is a series of dramatic textiles, many arranged to look like optical illusions, and some can be viewed on four sides, making them appear to be different on each side.
Downstairs, the pieces, hung with thin string form the ceiling, a appear to be floating from thin air without any support. The texture from the weaved fabrics and vibrant colors, some mixed with gold, were superb.
In a separate gallery on the lower floor, is part of an exquisite series, Estolas/Stars, created in the beginning of 1996, which consists of 70 pieces (only a portion are shown). The stunning gold, rock like sculptures weaved with gold leaf, appears like a shimmering Stonehenge.
Until March 16, 2025
Fondation Cartier 261 Boulevard Raspail, 75014
Comments