Valery Koshlyakov

Hidden away at 19 Rue de Varenne in Paris's chic 7th arrondissement, the Secret Gallery is a cutting-edge art and design space founded by Nathalie Elmaleh and Laurent Teboul. Both collectors and scenographers, they bring a fresh, innovative vision to the gallery. The main exhibition space hosts three meticulously curated thematic exhibitions annually, designed to evoke deep emotion. Artworks and design pieces are presented in settings that mimic a home, an artist's studio, or a collector's loft, creating an intimate, immersive experience.

¨Each exhibition invites visitors to dream, explore, and curate their own collection. The Secret Gallery shares its artistic sensibility, guiding art enthusiasts in acquiring pieces that reflect their individuality, within a captivating universe where art and design converge to create an unparalleled experience.¨ - Nathalie Elmaleh

The gallery features design pieces by renowned architect and designer Reda Amalou, showcasing collections inspired by 20th-century aesthetics. Celebrating materials like walnut, bronze, leather, glass, eggshell, and lacquer, each piece offers a luxurious, textured experience. In the art realm, the Secret Gallery presents a unique concept where 20th-century masters engage in a dialogue with cutting-edge contemporary artists. Exhibitions feature specially created works or selected pieces from existing collections, chosen for their emotional depth and personal expression, free from traditional constraints.

Famous artworks have permeated everyday urban environments, appearing on subway walls, in underground passages, and even on product packaging and advertisements. In these diverse settings, they acquire new meanings and functions. Simultaneously, collectors and the art market avidly pursue genuine pieces by renowned artists, showcasing modern society’s deep appreciation for original masterpieces. Uncovering an authentic piece today would be a discovery of monumental significance, eagerly awaited by the market, akin to the unearthing of a significant archaeological find.

Known for its intimate and innovative exhibitions that blend contemporary art and design, the Secret Gallery is currently hosting Valery Koshlyakov's groundbreaking work for the next few months. This collaboration perfectly aligns with the gallery's ethos of pushing artistic boundaries and creating immersive experiences. Koshlyakov's unique use of adhesive tape to recreate masterpieces mirrors the gallery's commitment to presenting art in unexpected ways, transforming traditional concepts into fresh, evocative forms. As Koshlyakov's works reinterpret iconic art within everyday urban contexts, the Secret Gallery offers the ideal venue for this dialogue between past and present, inviting visitors to explore the enduring power and relevance of classical art in a contemporary setting. This exhibition promises to captivate art enthusiasts, providing a rare opportunity to experience Koshlyakov's innovative approach within the gallery's distinctive, thought-provoking atmosphere.

In response to this fervor, artists propose projects that reproduce the great artworks we yearn for. In 1999, Valery Koshlyakov introduced his "applicative museums" during exhibitions in Russian museums, later expanding to Europe in 2002 at the Museum of Applied Arts in Vienna and in 2004 at the Kunsthalle in Baden-Baden. In 2009, after participating in an exhibition at the Louvre, Koshlyakov was invited by museum curator Dimitri Salmon to the Jean-Auguste Ingres Museum. There, Koshlyakov created La Baigneuse de Valpinçon using scotch tape, demonstrating how modern reproductions can breathe new life into classical masterpieces.

Working with adhesive tape allows for quick reproduction of objects, enabling Valery Koshlyakov to create freely inspired copies of masterpieces and cultural symbols from painting, sculpture, and architecture. Contemporary art employs various methods and materials, and Koshlyakov's choice of adhesive tape—a non-traditional, everyday technical material—stands out. In an era brimming with possibilities, Koshlyakov deliberately selects this rough, shiny, and plastic medium, starkly contrasting the soft, nuanced textures of traditional painting.

Adhesive tape might initially seem a crude, anti-art statement. Instead of canvas, Koshlyakov "paints" with tape directly on walls or plastic surfaces. He layers broad strips of tape like a glaze or expressive brushstrokes, using the synthetic, limited palette to achieve a raw, brutal aesthetic. This approach doesn't aim to mock or desecrate classical painting but rather highlights its enduring power. Koshlyakov's work demonstrates that regardless of the medium, the essence of great art can maintain its grandeur and inspire hope, even in times of crisis. His technique underscores the timeless resilience of art, proving that its impact transcends the materials used to create it. The Valery Koshlyakov exhibition is currently running at the Secret Gallery until 20th July 2024, with walk-in´s and private viewings both welcomed.