London's Stephen Friedman Gallery channels Parisian chic as Galerie de l'Epoque during May

A (fictional) gallery within a (real) gallery
(Image credit: press)

Galerie de L’Epoque is a gallery within a gallery; or fragments anyway of a fictional, but fully furnished, post-war Parisian gallery, conjured up in London’s Stephen Friedman gallery. As Stephen Friedman’s director of sales, Oscar Humphries, says this is a Paris about to be outflanked, commercially and creatively, by New York, even if it doesn’t see the outflanking coming. But, for now, or then, it is the high modern moment, Paris is in its pomp and this gallery offers the art essentials of any modernist European dream home.

There are two Picassos, an early one, and a later one; a loose, looming portrait, set above an imposing Indian walnut, glass and aluminium desk by Maxime Old which becomes our imagined gallerist. There is a Calder mobile, a Jean Arp objet, a (fine) Kandinsky and a Klee, a couple of Kurt Schwitter collages, a Juan Gris and a lovely pair of Giorgio Morandis. A collection assembled by Friedman and all for sale.

Stephen Friedman and Humphries have worked with French Interior designer Emilie Bonaventure to create this fantasy gallery (which comes with its own signage). And Bonaventure has avoided the obvious Prouvé/Perriand design pieces - and not just because of over-exposure and dwindling supply but because they were kitting out schools and other public institutions in the 1950s rather than smart Parisian galleries. Instead she has assembled pieces from lesser known French designers such as Alain Richard, Jacques Dumond and Rene-Jean Caillette. There is a lovely credenza by Antoine Philippon and Jacqueline Lecoq. She has also used period wallpaper and paint palettes.

But this is more than the fantasy set of a not-yet-made, art-rather-than-ads Mad Men cash in. The collection stretches forward in time to include post mid-century pieces including a 1969 wave sculpture by Jiro Takamatsu and Isa Genzken’s marvellous 2000 upright box, Hanne. Friedman’s current stable of artists are also featured, including a salon hang of Juan Araujo’s take on works that once hung similarly in Lina Bo Bardi’s Casa de Vidro in Sao Paulo. For Humphries this is a show about how Modernism stretches forwards and backwards in time, from Morandi to Mamma Andersson’s Huggermugger of 2013; and the art of juxtaposition and collage, of connections made.

Watch Galerie de l'Epoque

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Watch Galerie de l'Epoque come to life through the words of Stephen Friedman Gallery's Director, Oscar Humphries. Courtesy of Stephen Friedman Gallery, Produced by SketchFilms

(Image credit: press)

Pair of bracket lamps

From left: Composition aux formes géométriques (Pipes), Pablo Picasso, 1918; Hanne, Isa Genzken, 2000; Huggermugger, Mamma Andersson, 2013; with desk by Rene-Jean Cailette, 1954; Pair of bracket lamps, 1954

(Image credit: Jacques Biny)

Work 10

Work 10, Hideko Fukushima, 1963; Watching, Andrew Lord, 1998; Composition aux formes géométriques (Pipes), Pablo Picasso, 1918

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Interior space

From left: Table by Alan Richard, 1957/58; ‘Bracket ‘Kite’ lamp, 1955

(Image credit: Pierre Guariche)

Stephen Friedman Galeriede LEpoque

Various including works by Judith Lauand, Mark Grotjahn, Henri Choping, Gertrude Goldschmidt, Jiro Takamatsu, Mira Schendel

(Image credit: press)

Huggermugger

From left: Huggermugger, Mamma Andersson, 2013; with desk by Rene-Jean Cailette, 1954; Pair of bracket lamps, 1954

(Image credit: Jacques Biny)

London’s Stephen Friedman Gallery

'Pag 17,' Juan Araujo, 2012-2013; Four CA21 Capitole chairs, 1960; Natura Morta, Giorgio Morandi, 1955.

(Image credit: Pierre Guariche)

Desk by Maxime Old

From left: Desk by Maxime Old, 1972; Buste d’homme barbu, Pablo Picasso, 1965; Black Tulip in the Air, Alexander Calder, 1975; Gemässigt, Wassily Kandinsky, 1925; 28 Black Holes (Dedicated to Jackie O), Jack Whitten, 1993-1994; The Pole of Wave, Jiro Takamatsu, 1969.

(Image credit: press)

The Pole of Wave

From left: The Pole of Wave, Jiro Takamatsu, 1969; Credenza by Antoine Philipon and Jacqueline Lecoq, 1962; Concetto spaziale, Attest, Lucio Fontana, 1968; Tably by Alan Richard, 1957/58; ‘Bracket ‘Kite’ lamp designed by Pierre Guariche’, 1955; “T” Chapter 24, R.H.Quaytman, 2012

(Image credit: Pierre Guariche)

Capitole chairs

Four CA21 Capitole chairs, 1960; Natura Morta, Giorgio Morandi, 1955; Bol et livre, Juan Gris, 1926-17

(Image credit: Pierre Guariche)

Meeting room

From left: Untitled (Black Door I), Jim Hodges, 2010; Desk by Maxime Old, 1972; Buste d’homme barbu, Pablo Picasso, 1965

(Image credit: press)

ADDRESS

25-28 Old Burlington Street, London

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