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GREED, A New Fragrance by Francesco Vezzoli

February 6–March 21, 2009
Rome

GREED, A New Fragrance by Francesco Vezzoli Installation view, photo by Matteo Piazza

GREED, A New Fragrance by Francesco Vezzoli

Installation view, photo by Matteo Piazza

GREED, A New Fragrance by Francesco Vezzoli Installation view, photo by Matteo Piazza

GREED, A New Fragrance by Francesco Vezzoli

Installation view, photo by Matteo Piazza

GREED, A New Fragrance by Francesco Vezzoli Installation view, photo by Matteo Piazza

GREED, A New Fragrance by Francesco Vezzoli

Installation view, photo by Matteo Piazza

GREED, A New Fragrance by Francesco Vezzoli Installation view, photo by Matteo Piazza

GREED, A New Fragrance by Francesco Vezzoli

Installation view, photo by Matteo Piazza

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Works Exhibited

Francesco Vezzoli, Greed, The Perfume That Doesn't Exist, 2009 Crystal, paper, and ribbon, 15 ¾ × 10 ⅝ × 5 ⅛ inches (40 × 27 × 13 cm), unique edition + 2 AP© Francesco Vezzoli

Francesco Vezzoli, Greed, The Perfume That Doesn't Exist, 2009

Crystal, paper, and ribbon, 15 ¾ × 10 ⅝ × 5 ⅛ inches (40 × 27 × 13 cm), unique edition + 2 AP
© Francesco Vezzoli

Francesco Vezzoli, Enjoy The New Fragrance (Lee Miller for Greed), 2009 Inkjet, wool, cotton, metallic embroidery and custom jewelry on brocade, 70 ⅞ × 51 3/16 inches (180 × 130 cm)

Francesco Vezzoli, Enjoy The New Fragrance (Lee Miller for Greed), 2009

Inkjet, wool, cotton, metallic embroidery and custom jewelry on brocade, 70 ⅞ × 51 3/16 inches (180 × 130 cm)

Francesco Vezzoli, Enjoy The New Fragrance (Georgia O'Keeffe for Greed), 2009 Inkjet, wool, cotton, metallic embroidery and custom jewelry on brocade, 70 ⅞ × 51 3/16 inches (180 × 130 cm)

Francesco Vezzoli, Enjoy The New Fragrance (Georgia O'Keeffe for Greed), 2009

Inkjet, wool, cotton, metallic embroidery and custom jewelry on brocade, 70 ⅞ × 51 3/16 inches (180 × 130 cm)

Francesco Vezzoli, Enjoy The New Fragrance (Frida Kahlo for Greed), 2009 Inkjet, wool, cotton, metallic embroidery and custom jewelry on brocade, 70 ⅞ × 51 3/16 inches (180 × 130 cm)

Francesco Vezzoli, Enjoy The New Fragrance (Frida Kahlo for Greed), 2009

Inkjet, wool, cotton, metallic embroidery and custom jewelry on brocade, 70 ⅞ × 51 3/16 inches (180 × 130 cm)

Francesco Vezzoli, Enjoy The New Fragrance (Tamara De Lempicka for Greed), 2009 Inkjet, wool, cotton, metallic embroidery and custom jewelry on brocade, 70 ⅞ × 51 3/16 inches (180 × 130 cm)

Francesco Vezzoli, Enjoy The New Fragrance (Tamara De Lempicka for Greed), 2009

Inkjet, wool, cotton, metallic embroidery and custom jewelry on brocade, 70 ⅞ × 51 3/16 inches (180 × 130 cm)

Francesco Vezzoli, Enjoy The New Fragrance (Niki de Saint Phalle for Greed), 2009 Inkjet, wool, cotton, metallic embroidery and custom jewelry on brocade, 70 ⅞ × 51 3/16 inches (180 × 130 cm)

Francesco Vezzoli, Enjoy The New Fragrance (Niki de Saint Phalle for Greed), 2009

Inkjet, wool, cotton, metallic embroidery and custom jewelry on brocade, 70 ⅞ × 51 3/16 inches (180 × 130 cm)

Francesco Vezzoli, Enjoy The New Fragrance (Eva Hesse for Greed), 2009 Inkjet, wool, cotton, metallic embroidery and custom jewelry on brocade, 70 ⅞ × 51 3/16 inches (180 × 130 cm)

Francesco Vezzoli, Enjoy The New Fragrance (Eva Hesse for Greed), 2009

Inkjet, wool, cotton, metallic embroidery and custom jewelry on brocade, 70 ⅞ × 51 3/16 inches (180 × 130 cm)

About

Gagosian Gallery is pleased to present GREED, A New Fragrance by Francesco Vezzoli, the artist's latest work that replicates the strategy and aesthetics of a commercial perfume launch.

Just as Marcel Duchamp created Belle Haleine: Eau de Voilette in 1921 using a Rigaud perfume bottle with an altered label, Francesco Vezzoli has created a signature perfume for the contemporary moment. Greed's label features Vezzoli in drag, photographed by Francesco Scavullo, where Duchamp appeared on his perfume bottle as Rrose Sélavy, photographed by Man Ray. The bottle of perfume is accompanied by a 60-second commercial for the perfume — directed by Roman Polanski and starring Natalie Portman and Michelle Williams — as well as a new series of needlework portraits of leading female figures in art history – including Tamara de Lempicka, Eva Hesse, Leonor Fini – as immortalized endorsements of Vezzoli's fragrance.

Vezzoli has staged his ongoing preoccupation with the fundamental ambiguity of truth, the seductive powers of language, and the instability of the human persona in a series of works that explore the undisputed power of contemporary media culture. Recent productions include Non-Love Meetings (2004), a pilot show for a reality dating game that will never go to air, inspired by a documentary by Pier Paolo Pasolini and starring Catherine Deneuve, Jeanne Moreau and Marianne Faithful; Trailer for a remake of Gore Vidal's Caligula (2005), a Hollywood movie that will never be made, starring Gore Vidal, Helen Mirren, and Courtney Love, among others; Democrazy (2007), a tele-campaign for two candidates who will never be elected, starring Sharon Stone and Bernard-Henri Lévy; and a single live staging of Luigi Pirandello's Così è (se vi pare), the premiere of a play that will never run, starring Cate Blanchett and a host of top-billed New York stage actors.

Francesco Vezzoli was born in 1971, in Brescia, Italy. He studied at the Central St. Martin's School of Art in London from 1992 to 1995. His work has been exhibited at many institutions including: Castello di Rivoli Museo d'Arte Contemporanea, Turin (2002); Fondazione Prada, Milan (2004 and 2005); Museu Serralves, Porto (2005); Le Consortium, Dijon (2006); and the Power Plant, Toronto (2007). Vezzoli's work has also been featured in the 26th São Paulo Biennial (2004); the 51st Venice Biennale (2005); the Whitney Biennial (2006); and the 52nd Venice Biennale (2007). He currently lives and works in Milan.

Gagosian Gallery é lieta di presentare GREED, A New Fragrance by Francesco Vezzoli, l'ultimo progetto in cui l'artista replica le strategie e l'estetica del lancio di un nuovo profumo.

Ispirato a Belle Haleine: Eau de Voilette, il ready-made creato da Marcel Duchamp nel 1921 utilizzando una bottiglia di profumo con un'etichetta modificata, Greed riprende la stessa bottiglia sostituendo il ritratto di Marcel Duchamp come Rrose Selavy realizzato da Man Ray, con il suo firmato dal fotografo di moda Francesco Scavullo.

La mostra comprenderà uno spot pubblicitario diretto dal noto regista Roman Polanski in cui Michelle Williams e Natalie Portman lottano per il possesso di una bottiglia di LGreed, ed una straordinaria e surreale galleria di ritratti ricamati in cui alcune tra le donne più famose della storia dell'arte - tra le quali Tamara de Lempicka, Eva Hesse, Leonor Fini - si prestano come testimonial del profumo.

La ricerca di Francesco Vezzoli indaga l'ambiguità del concetto di verità, la potenza seduttiva della comunicazione e l'instabilità dell'uomo, attraverso l'indiscusso potere dei media nella cultura contemporanea. Lungo questo percorso Vezzoli ha prodotto Comizi di Non Amore (2004), una puntata pilota per un reality di appuntamenti che non sarà mai trasmesso, ispirato a Pier Paolo Pasolini ed interpretato da Catherine Deneuve, Jeanne Moreau e Marianne Faithful; Amàlia Traìda (2004), una soap-opera immaginaria sulla regina del fado, Amàlia Rodrigues, con Sonia Braga and Lauren Bacall; Trailer for a remake of Gore Vidal's Caligula (2005), il trailer per il remake di un film hollywoodiano che non sarà mai prodotto ed interpretato, tra gli altri, da Gore Vidal, Helen Mirren, Milla Jovovich and Courtney Love; Democrazy (2007), la campagna elettorale televisiva di due candidati che non verranno mai eletti, con Sharon Stone e Bernard-Henri Lévy progetto per il Padiglione Italiano dell'ultima Biennale di Venezia; più recentemente la premiere al Guggenheim Museum di New York di una piece teatrale che non sarà mai messa in scena, il Così è (se vi pare) di Luigi Pirandello con Cate Blanchett.

Francesco Vezzoli é nato nel 1971 a Brescia. Dal 1992 al 1995 ha studiato alla Central St. Martin's School of Art di Londra . Il suo lavoro é stato esposto in Italia e all'estero in vari musei tra i quali Castello di Rivoli Museo d'Arte Contemporanea, Torino (2002); Fondazione Prada, Milano (2004); Museu Serralves, Porto (2005); Le Consortium, Digione (2006); Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York (2007); e diverse Biennali tra cui la Biennale del Whitney del 2006, la 49a e la 51a Biennale di Venezia, la 26a Biennale di San Paolo e la 6a Biennale di Istanbul. Vive e lavora a Milano. Questa é la sua seconda mostra con Gagosian Gallery.