Failures — Les filles du calvaire Gallery — Exhibition — Slash Paris

Past: June 29 → September 21, 2024

Exhibition’s running in the Les filles du calvaire’s second space, 21 rue Chapon, 75003 Paris

Les filles du calvaire is hosting a summer exhibition curated by Marty de Montereau, titled Failures, which showcases the works of Jérémy Berton, Corentin Darré, Bryce Delplanque, Ophélie Demurger, Marius Fouquet, Léo Fourdrinier, Frances Goodman, Julia Haumont, Hippolyte Hentgen, Michel Jocaille, Katinka Lampe, Thomas Lévy-Lasne, Émilie Pitoiset, Lise Stoufflet, Valentin Van Der Meulen, alongside pieces from Marty de Montereau’s personal collection.

The exhibition begins in a teenage bedroom adorned with images of stars and pop icons, revealing Britney’s early dreams and aspirations toward stardom. It then transitions into a space embodying the ‘Disney’ universe, a pivotal stage in her artistic development. At age 11, Britney joined the Mickey Mouse Club, a Disney-produced television show featuring young talents. Like Alice plunging down the rabbit hole, visitors are immersed in a disproportionately measured universe.

Vue de l’exposition Failures à la galerie Les filles du calvaire, Paris Courtesy des artistes et de la galerie Les filles du calvaire, Paris, 2024

In the left basement, the glamour of her music career is highlighted, showcasing her impact on pop culture with glittering outfits and iconic performances. As a teenager, Britney saturated the music space with “Baby One More Time,” and suddenly plunged into the strange world of fame. She faced relentless media pressure and overwhelming expectations.

The exhibition also addresses the oppressive aspects of overexposure, where every detail of Britney’s life is scrutinized by the tabloid press. Finally, in the right basement, it explores the darker and more provocative aspects of the singer’s stage performances, revealing a complex quest for power, control, and personal liberation, marked by often controversial and criticized hypersexualization.

This fascinating odyssey unveils the many facets of Britney Spears, from her initial innocence to her status as a global icon, from media pressures to her relentless quest for freedom. Throughout her career, Britney has expressed a burning desire for freedom and normalcy, reflecting Alice’s quest to return to reality. Her struggle to escape this strange and unjust world highlights the challenges young stars face when thrust into a ruthless adult world.