Introduction
For the first presentation of her work in France, 49 Nord 6 Est showcases the works of Beverly Buchanan (1940–2015) in dialogue with the practice of Hélène Yamba-Guimbi (1995, France).
Born in North Carolina, Beverly Buchanan grounds her work in the popular culture of the southern United States, where she grew up. In particular, she explores the history of slavery through monuments that she places in the landscape on the edge of visibility, like stories that are left untold. Her sculptures and drawings reflect her attachment to traditional folk architecture, which she reinterprets by conveying both their vulnerability and the tenacity that brought them into being.
Beverly Buchanan creates fragments of space—structures shaped by memory and experience—that directly and affectionately evoke the fragility of living conditions for the African American community in the southern United States. In her pastel drawings, just as in her concrete or wooden sculptures, she reconfigures volumes, revealing some elements while leaving others in shadow, and reminds us that perception changes depending on one’s point of view.
Hélène Yamba-Guimbi, through specific interventions in the exhibition spaces, invites us to consider the physical dimension of artistic work and to feel the tensions between infrastructure and the body. Through sound, in particular, she explores the question of effort and an element as subtle as breath. The exhibition invites visitors to discover an artist who, beyond the formal power of her works, strives to convey the transitory nature of life, resonating with the sense of instability that permeates our times.
Practical Information
- Exhibition
- Graphic arts
- YES
- For all ages
