The art exhibit by Portuguese artist Joana Vasconcelos, at the Palace of Versailles, in 2012, topped the ranking of the five most visited art exhibitions in Paris, France, in the past 50 years, the French newspaper Le Figaro revealed.

According to the newspaper, with 1.6 million visitors the exhibition surpassed others like the Tutankhamen exhibit in 1967, with 1.2 million visitors. She was the first woman to ever hold an exhibition at Versailles Palace.

The Portuguese artist’s exhibition took place in various rooms at the Palace of Versailles, presenting 15 pieces of contemporary art, including giant women’s shoes titled “Marilyn” (2011), made from traditional Portuguese cooking pans, the “Red Independent Heart” (2005) and  the “Black Independent Heart” (2006), made of plastic spoons.

An exhibit of Joana Vasconcelos is currently open to the public at the Haunch of Venison Gallery in Manhatan, New York, NY.  Besides Joana Vasconcelos, participating artists include Jiechang Yang, Justin Mortimer, Patricia Piccinini and Eve Sussman. The collective exhibit, titled “How to Tell the Future from the Past” can be viewed until March 2, 2013.

Vasconcelos’s work consists of transforming everyday objects in inventive and unexpected ways. She reveals the traditional clichés of her Portuguese cultural heritage with humor, provocation, irony and sensuality. Her unconventional, “bigger than life” baroque installations are symbolic and imaginary.

Of Portuguese descent, Joana Vasconcelos, 42, was born in Paris and is currently based in Lisbon, Portugal. The artist came to the public’s attention for her display at the 2005 Venice Biennale that greeted visitors to the Arsenale. Her work is included in prestigious public and private collections, and most recently she exhibited at Château de Versailles in 2012 (slide show). Vasconcelos has been selected to represent Portugal at the 2013 Venice Biennale.  Read more >>

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