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HAUSER & WIRTH Monaco: Barbara Chase-Riboud’s The Josephines: Where History Dances in Bronze and Silk

HAUSER & WIRTH Monaco: Barbara Chase-Riboud’s The Josephines: Where History Dances in Bronze and Silk February 19, 2025Art, Exhibition, Monaco0 Comments

Barbara Chase-Riboud. The Josephines

6 March – 14 June 2025

Hauser & Wirth Monaco

Place du Casino, 98000 Monaco

Barbara Chase-Riboud’s ‘The Josephines’: A Monumental Tribute to Josephine Baker

In the realm of art, few figures possess the ability to transcend time, place, and medium with the sheer elegance and depth of Barbara Chase-Riboud. The celebrated sculptor and poet is once again pushing boundaries with her upcoming exhibition, The Josephines, at Hauser & Wirth Monaco from March 6 to June 14, 2025. This highly anticipated showcase is not merely an exhibition; it is an evocative dialogue between history and contemporary artistry, between two women whose legacies mirror and amplify each other across the expanse of time.

The Intersection of Two Icons

Chase-Riboud’s connection with Josephine Baker is both profound and serendipitous. When the artist first arrived in Paris in 1961 and took residence at an atelier on Rue Blomet, she later discovered that just next door was Le Bal Nègre – where Baker’s illustrious Parisian career began. Decades later, in 1975, their paths would finally cross backstage at the Bobino, where Baker performed for the last time. That fleeting encounter left an indelible mark on Chase-Riboud, inspiring a body of work that now culminates in The Josephines.

This exhibition, marking the 50th anniversary of Baker’s passing and the centennial of her Paris debut, unveils two monumental sculptures, Josephine Black/Black (2022) and Josephine Red/Red (2022). These towering bronze creations stand as poetic abstractions of Baker’s fluidity, power, and inimitable stage presence, embodying both the weight of history and the boundless dynamism of movement. Complementing these are never-before-seen additions to Chase-Riboud’s celebrated La Musica series (1990–2025) and a striking collection of works on paper.

Sculptural Poetry in Motion

Rising nearly two meters tall, the sculptures exude a mesmerizing juxtaposition of textures – rigid, patinated bronze meets cascading silk, evoking Baker’s signature grace and energy. Chase-Riboud, who describes Baker as “the epitome of movement, of jazz,” reinvents the notion of the figurative monument, shifting from static representation to an embodiment of rhythm and futurism.

The artist’s signature technique of entwining metal and textile reflects her broader artistic philosophy – melding the permanence of history with the fluidity of memory. This ethos extends into her delicate, all-white works on paper, achieved through an intricate process of silk-thread punctured Arches paper, forming an almost hieroglyphic symphony of poetry and sculpture.

A Legacy of Boundless Creativity

Barbara Chase-Riboud has long defied categorization. A pioneer in both visual and literary realms, she remains one of the few artists whose work is housed in the world’s most esteemed institutions – from MoMA to the Louvre. Her groundbreaking eight-museum retrospective in Paris, culminating in a historic exhibition beneath the Louvre’s iconic pyramid, cemented her as an artist of profound consequence. Now, with The Josephines, she continues her legacy of honoring Black excellence and reimagining historical narratives through an unparalleled aesthetic lens.

A Celebration of Movement, Memory, and Monumentality

As The Josephines takes its place at Hauser & Wirth Monaco, it serves as both a tribute and a revelation, a conversation between two extraordinary women whose impact reverberates far beyond their respective mediums. Chase-Riboud’s sculptural tributes transcend mere representation, transforming into living, breathing embodiments of resilience, artistry, and revolution.

In an age where history is often flattened into static images, The Josephines reminds us that memory, like movement, refuses to be confined. Through Barbara Chase-Riboud’s masterful hands, Josephine Baker’s legacy does not simply endure – it dances.

www.hauserwirth.com

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