Hauser & Wirth are dedicating the gallery’s artmonte-carlo booth this year to a selection of drawings by George Condo, with a particular focus on pieces created whilst living in the Principality.  

American artist George Condo is a man of many talents. He’s made a name for himself in the art world over several disciples, from painting to sculpture, as well as from printmaking to drawing.  

The 65-year-old currently has a major – and very popular – solo exhibit at the Nouveau Musée National de Monaco (NMNM), which runs until 1st October, but prestigious art gallery Hauser & Wirth are giving fans another chance to admire his works at this weekend’s artmonte-carlo. 

MONACO AS MUSE 

From 7th to 9th July, the gallery’s artmonte-carlo showcase booth will host a series of drawings done by Condo whilst preparing for his NMNM show and during his stay at the Hotel Hermitage in Monaco in May 2023.  

Pieces such as Anger in Monte-Carlo are “directly inspired by the region”, whilst others are homages to past works, such as Scenes from a Ballet and Ballerina Drawing, both references to a stage curtain the artist designed for Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo in 1998 as well as costumes and scenography done for the company’s Artistic Director Jean-Christophe Maillot’s Opus 40 ballet in 2000.  

He also drew, quite literally, people on the streets of the Principality with abstract precision and not a little comic relief.  

VISUAL THINKING 

Drawing, or “visual thinking” as Condo refers to it, is the cornerstone of his work. Using traditional techniques to create unconventional pieces filled with human-but-not-quite-human images and a cacophony of colour incongruously splashed onto canvases, he creates spell-binding work that is at once a bit disturbing as well as oddly joyful.  

His exhibition pieces are all in pen, ink and crayon, and are textured and layered to incredible effect.  

ALSO ON… 

In addition to the Condo show, Hauser & Wirth are championing the quirky sculptures and touching poetry of the late American artist John Chamberlain. Drawing from work done in the 1980s, the gallery’s curators have paired artworks with his poetry to dramatic effect.  

Also part of the exhibition is the public statue that sits in the gardens next to the gallery, 2008’s Nightynightcap. The Chamberlain show runs until 2nd September. 

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Featured photo: George Condo, Looking Both Ways, 2023