Oscar award-winning actress Tilda Swinton will curate an exhibition showcasing the work of British artist and designer Marianna Kennedy at Christie’s Paris. Organized by PLVR Zurich, the show will take place from May 5th to 11th.
The exhibition, “Supersonic Mediaeval,” will highlight Kennedy’s innovative use of materials like resin, wood, bronze, and Murano glass and emphasize the influence of London’s Spitalfields neighborhood on her career. It will showcase a collection of the artist’s most significant works, notably her carved and gilded mirrors, which she began creating in 2006.
“Marianna’s work has always sprung from and lived in, for me, a particularly sweet spot, one where the ancient and the resonant meet the unknown and surprising,” Swinton said in a statement. “This is the landscape of ‘Supersonic Mediaeval,’ invested in exquisite craftsmanship and joyful color and merging the familiar and the fresh: its atmosphere brings with it a breath to the heart of recognition, renewal, and of bright new horizons ahead.”
A Canadian-born artist, Kennedy attended the National College of Art in Dublin before continuing her studies at the Slade School of Art in London. Inspired by the architecture of traditional Georgian houses, she began creating her now-renowned mirrors in her Spitalfields studio. According to the auction house, Kennedy met Swinton through a mutual friend and quickly bonded over “their shared love of collaborating with artisans.” Swinton has been a long-time supporter and collector of Kennedy’s bespoke works.
“I have always been inspired by Tilda’s unique artistic vision combined with a playful sense of collaboration,” said Kennedy. “We both share a respect for craftsmanship and a love of beauty, bridging the gap between past and present but always looking forward. For us, the past is always new.”
Swinton organized her first exhibition in 2019 with the Aperture Foundation in New York. The show, “Orlando,” was inspired by the 1928 Virginia Woolf novel of the same name. Swinton also starred as the titular character in the 1992 film adaptation. For that exhibition, the actress curated a show featuring approximately 50 works from 11 artists, including Zackary Drucker, Lynn Hershman Leeson, and Mickalene Thomas.
