Cyprien Gaillard: Humpty \ Dumpty

In the midst of Paris+ par Art Basel, artist Cyprien Gaillard debuts a multifaceted two-part exhibition, “Humpty \ Dumpty,” at both the Palais de Tokyo and Lafayette Anticipations, on view through January 8, 2023. Gaillard draws inspiration from the iconic 18th-century English nursery rhyme in which an egg-shaped character falls from a wall and is unable to return to its previously unflawed state. “HUMPTY,” the first part of the presentation, is shown at Palais de Tokyo. Through multimedia artworks, Gaillard, along with guest artists, explores the human connection to disintegration and constant attempts at restoration. The second part of the exhibition, “DUMPTY,” invokes a sculpture from the Quartier de l’Horloge, installed in 1979. The work illustrating a man sitting on a rock with a sword and shield, once a moving mechanical sculpture, has been inactive since 2003. The artist endeavors to restore movement and allow for a rebirth, while reckoning with impermanence and our universal struggle against time.