VITRINE presents a solo booth by French artist Tarek Lakhrissi as part of Frieze London 2022's Focus section titled 'Revenge Fantasy'. 'Revenge Fantasy' is a new body of work consisting of large glass and metal sculptures. These are accompanied by smaller metal works from his series titled 'Betraying' (2022).
The sculptures are modelled on mythological weapons, in the form of spears. The sculptures’ exaggerated and comic appearance is taken from influences such as ‘Final Fantasy’, ‘Xena: Warrior Princess’ and ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’, which blend elegance and beauty with cool fantasy aesthetics.
Lakhrissi is interested in the need to defend oneself as a political practice, particularly individuals or groups who are marginalised, to maintain one's identity and reflect on a desire to stay alive and be unapologetic. The sculptures are imagined, speculative weapons for Jahid, the protagonist in Lakhrissi’s new concurrent short film ‘The Art of Losing’ (release December 2022) and alludes to the character’s accessories and props.
Two works from Lakhrissi's most recent series of glass sculptures 'GODDAM' are exhibited alongside the installation which address a queer heritage between the artist and ancestral figures. Lakhrissi reinvents horns and tails as inhuman forms coming out of the wall as if to suck in new desires and address the potential presence of dark sources in creation, but also deep inside.
The first 10 works in the 'Revenge Fantasy' series were commissioned by and first exhibited at Foundation D'Entreprise Hermès, Brussels, BE. Further works from this series are currently exhibited in Biennale Matter of Art 2022, Prague, CZ. Lakhrissi works across installation, performance, film, text and sculpture, engaging with political and social issues around transformative narratives within language, magic, weirdness, codes and love. His background in literature draws influence from feminist and queer writers, such as Elsa Dorlin, Jean Genet, Monique Wittig and José Esteban Muñoz. Each project Lakhrissi initiates derives from text and poetry, which are his primary obsessions, before translating ideas from these mediums into the visual arts.
Stand H27
Tarek Lakhrissi (b. 1992, Châtellerault, FR) is based in Paris, FR and is a laureate of Lafayette Anticipations third edition of 'À l'œuvre!' 2022. He has exhibited at galleries, museums and biennials internationally including: Haus der Kunst, Munich, DE; Palais de Tokyo, Paris, FR; Wiels, Brussels, BE; Museum Tinguely, Basel, CH; HKW Berlin, DE; NIRIN 22nd Biennale of Sydney, Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, Sydney, AU; Baltic Triennial 13, Contemporary Art Centre, Riga, LV & CAC, Vilnius, LT; MOSTYN, Llandudno, UK; Kevin Space, Vienna, AU; Foundation Pernod Ricard, Paris, FR; CRAC Alsace, Altkirch, FR; Hayward Gallery, London, UK; Het Hem, Amsterdam, NL; Zabriskie, Genève, CH; Centre d’Art Contemporain, Noisy-Le-Sec, FR; Manchester International Festival 2021, Home, Manchester, UK.
Lakhrissi's work is included in public collections including CNAP collection, FR; FRAC Grand Large, FR; FRAC Aquitaine, FR; Lafayette Anticipations, FR; and Defares Collection, NL.
Current and upcoming exhibitions include: Biennale Matter of Art 2022, Prague, CZ; 'Protozone8: Queer Trust' at Shedhalle Zurich, CH; 'Habibi, les révolutions de l'amour', Institut Du Monde Arabe, Paris, FR and 'Parallel Visions' at Palazzo Re Rebaudengo, Guarene, IT. His touring performance 'Beast!' will be presented at Centre Pompidou as part of Move Festival, Paris, FR on 16 October 2022.