Gaëlle Choisne

Gaelle Choisne’s practice combines a documentary approach (photography and video) with the use of raw materials, addressing socio-political issues related to the overexploitation of natural resources and colonial history. Born of a Haitian mother and a Breton father, the artist blends oral traditions, Creole mythology and popular culture in works that refer to both Haiti’s history and her own personal narrative. «To invest in the density of these complex and shifting dynamics in perpetual revolution, Gaëlle Choisne uses choral art forms that she readily describes as experimental. Sculpture, installation and a taste for abrupt confrontation with material have always accompanied the artist in the same way that her video practice has, navigating between documentary legacies, found footage and speculative narratives. Between these two great families of consistencies that populate her works are collections of found objects, some of which have been maintained for many years, which show her special attention to charms, amulets, talismans, playing cards and more. These collections convey the artist’s interest in the occult, taxonomy, exoticism, merchandising, spirituality and popular practices sometimes referred to as ‘enthusiasts’.» - Thomas Conchou (extract) ...

francesca kaufmann gallery opened in January 2000. Since then, the gallery has aimed to explore a diverse range of media, with a focus on video, site specific installation, and a special attention towards the works of female artists. After ten years in its historical location, the gallery opened in a new space in October 2010, under the name kaufmann repetto, to mark the partnership between Francesca Kaufmann and Chiara Repetto. In its new location, the gallery has been able to further develop its exhibition programming through a project space dedicated predominantly to younger artists, as well as a courtyard for large scale outdoor installations, which run parallel to the gallery’s main exhibition schedule. In 2013, the gallery inaugurated a new location in Chelsea, New York, with a parallel program to the gallery’s main space in Milan. In 2019 the New York location moved to Tribeca, expanding to a 3,000 sq ft exhibition space. The inaugural exhibition at the gallery’s new space in Tribeca was a solo show by Lily van der Stokker. ...