"Purchasing a postcard transforms us all into replicators": Louvre's endorsement of duplication echoes human tendency.
At a swanky bathhouse, a dude paddles around on a rainbow unicorn floatie, confidence oozing as his eyes scan the bustling crowd. Gorgeous, toned bodies lounge around, some cruisin' in their undies, while others lay naked on a bed - all under the watchful eye of big brother CCTV.
But, this ain't no ordinary bathhouse. It's the Louvre, arguably the art world's megaplex, and they're all just posing for the latest exhibit, 'Copyists.' Commissioned by the Louvre and Centre Pompidou-Metz, the show grants a hundred artists the chance to copy one work from the Louvre's expansive collection. As co-curator Donatien Grau explains, "Art which was once considered heritage is material for contemporary creativity."
It's a redo of an old Louvre show from '93, but with a twist - this exhibition is purely contemporary work. When the Centre-Pompidou-Metz's top curator, Chiara Parisi, hatched the idea, Grau knew their collaboration would break new ground, creating the first-ever joint exhibit spread across Pompidou's vaulted halls (swim up to February 2, 2026).
The Louvre's copying program started way back when it first opened its doors, and the intense popularity of the program got immortalized in a 1868 piece by American artist Winslow Homer. Sporting a caricature-like style, he depicted well-dressed young women and grumpy old men engulfed in copying frenzies at the Louvre. A whiff of humor lingered in the work, but The New York Times took it to another level with their harsh satire, lampooning copyists as old, weak men striving for scraps at the feet of old masters. History may have painted a harsh picture, but the truth is that back in the day, many aspiring artists had no other place to learn about classic art techniques other than the Louvre.
Fast forward to today, and some of the artists in this exhibit knew exactly what they wanted to copy, like Rita Ackerman. She initially aimed to create a straight-up copy of Jean-Francois Millet's Les botteleurs de foin, but she ended up copying two of her own works. As Grau remembers, "She said, 'Copying is about the self. It's about the ego. How much of yourself do you need to put in the painting?' That's what the show is about - how the self positions itself towards the world and others."
Now, you might be wondering if this is going to be filled with sticky fingers touching Mona Lisa's smile, but you're in for a delightful surprise. Claire Fontaine smothered Lisa's face in black paint, creating an eerie black hole intended to dilute her iconic status and pay homage to climate activists. Another artist, Glenn Ligon, presented a reproduce of Mona's backside, providing a rare, intimate sight of an artwork that's usually untouchable.
Art buffs can expect a wall of Louise Élisabeth Vigeé Le Brun's Madame Vigeé Le Brun and Her Daughter postcards, and have the chance to unleash their inner copyists by taking one home. Orlean Vilanova snagged 80 postcards from different eras, each reproducing the artwork for mass consumption, emphasizing the idea that acquiring a postcard is a form of copying.
Carsten Höller's installation offers a twist on the concept of copying within the body. He used fibers from Jacques-Louis David's Portrait of Juliette Recamier for pills that rain down on visitors, relaying the idea that even when molecules leave the body, their effects and memory remain.
The curators invited designers Yohji Yamamoto and Agnès b. to join the show. Yamamoto's creation borrows heavily from the 17th century painting Portrait d'homme au pourpoint entrouvert by Lucas Franchoys, blending the classic piece with modern elements. Grau raves about the piece, remarking, "It's completely him."
Some artists take on controversial topics, like Miquel Barceló's take on Velázquez's *The Surrender of Breda, which includes Palestinian flags fluttering in the wind, positioning him as a provocateur challenging traditional interpretations of art.
The 'Copyists' exhibit is more than just duplicating old artworks. It delves into the complex relationship between originality and duplication, urging viewers to explore their own creativity in the face of history. Get ready to immerse yourself in a compelling dialogue between past and present, and come away with a newfound appreciation for art and the human spirit.
Don't miss out on this once-in-a-lifetime experience! Drag your friends and head to Centre Pompidou-Metz before 2 February 2026. You can find more info and tickets on their official website (centrepompidou-metz.fr). Embrace your inner artist and prepare yourself for a mind-bending journey through the realms of art history and contemporary creativity.
Education and self-development are encouraged through the 'Copyists' exhibit at Centre Pompidou-Metz, where visitors are invited to participate by taking home reproductions of Louise Élisabeth Vigeé Le Brun's Madame Vigeé Le Brun and Her Daughter postcards. Learning, in this context, is not limited to traditional artistic techniques but also encompasses the exploration of originality and duplication, fostering one's creativity in the face of art history.
