Gina Pane

Born in 1939 in Biarritz (France) to an Austrian mother and an Italian father, GINA PANE left Italy in 1961 to study at the École nationale supérieure des beaux-arts de Paris. She took courses in sacred art with Edmée Larnaudie and in lithography and made Paris her home. In parallel to her artistic practice, Pane taught painting at the École supérieure des beaux-arts du Mans from 1976 to 1989. In 1978, she created and ran a performance workshop at the Centre Pompidou. She died in Paris (France) in 1990 from the complications of a long-standing illness. A key figure in body art in France, Gina Pane established her reputation in the 1970s with strongly symbolic ‘actions’. From the emotion provoked by the injury to which she subjected her body while the ‘anaesthetised’ viewer looked on, to the enthusiastic critics who followed her radical acts, Gina Pane constructed a myth. Kamel Mennour first exhibited her work in 2012.
The question of the sacred, one of the essential underlying threads, far from belonging to the final period alone, has fed every formal variation of a career punctuated by inventive proposals: geometric paintings and ‘Structures affirmées’ [Confirmed structures] (completed 1967), in situ installations and outdoor actions (1968-70), public actions (1971-79), and ‘Partitions’ (1980-89). The omnipresence of the cross as a motif, the giving of the self, the suffering body of the martyr, the geography of wounds and the precise codification of body gestures form a whole collection of references and signs at a place where the religious and the questioning of identity meet.
Few artists have invested the realm of the flesh with so much force and vigour, in all the strata of its significance: social body, biological body, transubstantiated body, cosmic body. Whether the body is put centre stage, or better invoked through its absence, Gina Pane’s sculptural language is without precedent. The emotional and spiritual charge that runs through the work does not position it in an epoch or a current, in a reductive manner, but rather in a universal style that renders it timeless. It is hardly surprising that today she is regarded and cited by younger generations as a fascinating and exemplary reference, as much through the message she transmits as by her formal qualities.

Gina Pane’s work has been included in important private and public collections (Guggenheim and MoMA–Museum of Modern Art, New York; Centre Pompidou and Musée d’art moderne de la ville de Paris; La Gaia, Busca; MAMbo–Museo d’Arte Moderna di Bologna; mumok–Museum Moderner Kunst Stiftung Ludwig Wien; Frac des Pays de la Loire, Nantes; Frac Bretagne, Rennes; MAC VAL, Vitry-sur-Seine; CNAP, Paris; [mac]–Musée d’Art Contemporain, Marseille; LACMA (Los Angeles County Museum of Art)) and has been widely exhibited, including Verrière Hermès, Brussels; Centre Pompidou, Paris; Tate Modern, London; Mamco–Musée d’art moderne et contemporain, Geneva; Art Institute, San Francisco; Documenta, Kassel; Palazzo Grassi and the Venice Biennale; and recently, CAMH–Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, Henry Art Gallery, Seattle; Centre Pompidou–Metz; Musée des beaux-arts de Rennes, Galerie Art & Essai, Rennes; Hangar à Bananes and Musée des Beaux-Arts de Nantes together with Frac des Pays de la Loire; Mamac–Musée d’Art Moderne et d’Art Contemporain, Nice; Mart–Museo d’Arte Moderna e Contemporanea di Trento e Rovereto, and MUSAC–Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Castilla y León.

Mennour devotes a solo exhibition to her from 24 March to 3 June 2023, “Préliminaire”, curated by Emma-Charlotte Gobry-Laurencin, 47 rue Saint-André-des-Arts, Paris.

Works

Exhibition view, Mennour, Paris - © Mennour
Exhibition view, Mennour, Paris, 2023
Sans titre - © Mennour
Sans titre, 1962—1965
Azione sentimentale, 9 novembre 1973 Constat de l'action réalisée à la Galleria Diagramma, Milan - © Mennour
Azione sentimentale, 9 novembre 1973 Constat de l’action réalisée à la Galleria Diagramma, Milan
Via Dolorosa - © Mennour
Via Dolorosa, 1988—1989
Gina Pane
Acqua alta / Pali / Venezia, 1968-1970
12 elements in Duralinox, metal tray, muddy water, lettering painted on the floor, walls and ceiling
Sculpture: 250 x 600 cm
View of the exhibition “Terre protégée”, kamel mennour (47 rue Saint André des Arts), Paris 6, 2018-2019
© ADAGP Gina Pane
Photo. archives kamel mennour
Courtesy Anne Marchand and kamel mennour, Paris/London - © Mennour
Exhibition view, kamel mennour, Paris, 2018
Exhibition view, Fondation Maeght, Saint-Paul de Vence - © Mennour
Exhibition view, Fondation Maeght, Saint-Paul de Vence, 2018
Terre protégée III - © Mennour
Terre protégée III, 1970
View of the exhibition “Terre protégée”, kamel mennour (47 rue Saint André des Arts), Paris 6, 2018-2019
© ADAGP Gina Pane
Photo. archives kamel mennour
Courtesy Anne Marchand and kamel mennour, Paris/London - © Mennour
Exhibition view, kamel mennour, Paris, 2018
Gina Pane
L'échelle du Martyre de Saint-Laurent n°3, Partition pour un corps irradié, 1986
Iron, wood, charcoal, copper and glass
210 x 207 cm - © © ADAGP Gina Pane
Photo. MUSAC
Courtesy Anne Marchand and kamel mennour, Paris/London, Mennour
Exhibition view, MUSAC, León, 2016
La Cena/Passage - © Mennour
La Cena/Passage, 1985—1987
Discours mou et mat, 1975 Constat de l'action réalisée à la galerie De Appel à Amsterdam - © Mennour
Discours mou et mat, 1975 Constat de l’action réalisée à la galerie De Appel à Amsterdam
gina pane
Action de chasse. C’est la nuit chérie..., 1979-1981
24 drawings made with charcoal, graphite, pastel and collage on gray Canson paper, 1 painted wooden element
Drawing: 280 x 600 x 1 cm
Hut: 20 x 12 x 4,8 cm
View of the exhibition, kamel mennour (6, rue du Pont de Lodi), Paris, 2016
© ADAGP Gina Pane
Photo. archives kamel mennour
Courtesy Anne Marchand and kamel mennour, Paris/London - © Mennour
Exhibition view, kamel mennour, Paris
Dehors - Partition pour une feuille de menthe - © Mennour
Dehors - Partition pour une feuille de menthe, 1985
Sans titre (n°31) - © Mennour
Sans titre (n°31), 1962—1967
Sans Titre (cicatrices) - © Mennour
Sans Titre (cicatrices), 1974
Siesta - Partition pour six paroles à une bombe - © Mennour
Siesta - Partition pour six paroles à une bombe, 1984
Exhibition view, kamel mennour, London - © Mennour
Exhibition view, kamel mennour, London, 2019
View of the exhibition “Terre protégée”, kamel mennour (47 rue Saint André des Arts), Paris 6, 2018-2019
© ADAGP Gina Pane
Photo. archives kamel mennour
Courtesy Anne Marchand and kamel mennour, Paris/London - © Mennour
Detail, kamel mennour, Paris, 2018
View of the exhibition “Terre protégée”, kamel mennour (47 rue Saint André des Arts), Paris 6, 2018-2019
© ADAGP Gina Pane
Photo. archives kamel mennour
Courtesy Anne Marchand and kamel mennour, Paris/London - © Mennour
Exhibition view, kamel mennour, Paris, 2018
Exhibition view, kamel mennour, London - © Mennour
Exhibition view, kamel mennour, London, 2019
Deuxième projet du silence - © Mennour
Deuxième projet du silence, 1970
Installation view of works by Gina Pane in Parallel Practices: Joan Jonas & Gina Pane at the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston. Photo: Paul Hester - © Mennour
Exhibition view, Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, 2013
View of the exhibition, kamel mennour (6, rue du Pont de Lodi), Paris, 2016
© ADAGP Gina Pane
Photo. archives kamel mennour
Courtesy Anne Marchand and kamel mennour, Paris/London - © Mennour
Exhibition view, kamel mennour, Paris
View of the exhibition “gina pane”, kamel mennour, Paris
© ADAGP Gina Pane
Photo. archives kamel mennour
Courtesy Anne Marchand and kamel mennour, Paris/London - © Mennour
Exhibition view, kamel mennour, Paris
Un après-midi d'été, à 16h30 - Partition pour quatre jouets - © Mennour
Un après-midi d’été, à 16h30 - Partition pour quatre jouets, 1983
View of the exhibition “Terre protégée”, kamel mennour (47 rue Saint André des Arts), Paris 6, 2018-2019
© ADAGP Gina Pane
Photo. archives kamel mennour
Courtesy Anne Marchand and kamel mennour, Paris/London - © Mennour
Exhibition view, kamel mennour, Paris, 2018
Sans titre - © Mennour
Sans titre, 1968
A l'immortel, cas n°2 - Partition pour un hommage - © Mennour
A l’immortel, cas n°2 - Partition pour un hommage, 1983
View of the exhibition “gina pane”, kamel mennour, Paris
© ADAGP Gina Pane
Photo. archives kamel mennour
Courtesy Anne Marchand and kamel mennour, Paris/London - © Mennour
Exhibition view, kamel mennour, Paris, 2012
Sans titre (n°13) - © Mennour
Sans titre (n°13), 1962—1968
Sans titre - © Mennour
Sans titre, 1968
Terre protégée I - © Mennour
Terre protégée I, 1968
Enfoncement d'un rayon de soleil - © Mennour
Enfoncement d’un rayon de soleil, 1969
Continuation d'un chemin de bois - © Mennour
Continuation d’un chemin de bois, 1970
Sans titre (n°20) - © Mennour
Sans titre (n°20), 1962—1965
Gina Pane
Stripe Rake, 1969
Sable, humus, un râteau de bois
Piece made of 2m2 of sand, 1m2 of earth, a wooden rake made by me, which was left out for the public so that they could activate the space occupied by the sand and earth. 
Stripe Rake, 1969. Turin
17 x 200 x 200 cm - © © ADAGP Gina Pane
Photo. MUSAC
Courtesy Anne Marchand and kamel mennour, Paris/London, Mennour
Exhibition view, MUSAC, León
François d'Assise, trois fois aux blessures stigmatisé. Vérification - version 3 - © Mennour
François d’Assise, trois fois aux blessures stigmatisé. Vérification - version 3, 1986—1987
Sans titre - © Mennour
Sans titre, 1968
Souvenir enroulé d'un matin bleu - © Mennour
Souvenir enroulé d’un matin bleu, 1969
Sans titre (n°6) - © Mennour
Sans titre (n°6), 1962—1965
Sans titre - © Mennour
Sans titre, 1968
Sans titre (n°30) - © Mennour
Sans titre (n°30), 1962—1967
Le Meurtre d'Abel d'après une posture de Salvatore Rosa - Partition pour une offrande - © Mennour
Le Meurtre d’Abel d’après une posture de Salvatore Rosa - Partition pour une offrande, 1983
Sans titre - © Mennour
Sans titre, 1967
Exhibition view, Galerie Art & Essai, Rennes - © Mennour
Exhibition view, Galerie Art & Essai, Rennes, 2015
La Pêche endeuillée, 1968 - 1969 Installation 180 pieces in painted wood linked by sections of 9, dyed rope, fabric, onw text on wall, printed text ,15 x 500 x 730 cm mínimum space : 50 m2; 
FRAC Pays de la Loire, Carquefou, near Nantes
Installation view, MUSAC, 2016 - © Mennour
Exhibition view, MUSAC, León
Exhibition view « gina pane », Galerie Art & Essai - Université Rennes 2, Rennes, 2015
© ADAGP gina pane
photo. gae
Courtesy Anne Marchand ; Frac Bretagne ; Centre Pompidou, Musée national d’art moderne and kamel mennour, Paris - © Mennour
Exhibition view, Galerie Art & Essai, Rennes, 2015
Voyage sentimental - Partition pour une tablette de chocolat - © Mennour
Voyage sentimental - Partition pour une tablette de chocolat, 1983—1984
Exhibition view, La Verrière, Brussels - © Mennour
Exhibition view, La Verrière, Brussels, 2019
View of the exhibition “gina pane”, kamel mennour, Paris
© ADAGP Gina Pane
Photo. archives kamel mennour
Courtesy Anne Marchand and kamel mennour, Paris/London - © Mennour
Exhibition view, kamel mennour, Paris

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