Louise Giovanelli

GRIMM is pleased to present a solo exhibition of new paintings by British artist Louise Giovanelli. This will be the Manchester-based artist’s fifth solo exhibition at GRIMM and her fourth at the New York gallery. Metrograph will showcase a selection of films curated by the artist to accompany the exhibition.

Giovanelli's delicate, luminous works inject vitality into historical subjects from the canon of Western art. Through interconnected series, she weaves together visual clues surrounding a specific moment or event. Her subject matter is primarily chosen for its formal qualities and includes, staged photographs, film stills, classical sculpture, and architectural elements. Within each series, Giovanelli repeats her motifs and certain paintings appear nearly identical, excepting slight alterations of the composition, or tonality. 

Deftly manipulating light and form, her multivalent imagery reminds us that the classical foundations of painting remain sources of delight and innovation. Keenly attuned to the historical significance of painting as a medium and system of representation, her paintings challenge the eye by dissolving representation into carefully crafted textures and patterns. For Giovanelli, painting allows for a visual slowing-down, and beholding her works is akin to a meditative process.

In collaboration with the exhibition, Giovanelli has selected several films to be showcased at Metrograph, including: Kids (1995) by Larry Clark, Gummo (1997) by Harmony Korine, Grey Gardens (1975) by Albert and David Maysles, Ticket of No Return (1979) by Ulrike Ottinger, and Buffalo ‘66 (1998) by Vincent Gallo.

About the artist

Louise Giovanelli (b. 1993, London, UK) lives and works in Manchester (UK). She completed her postgraduate studies at the Städelschule in Frankfurt am Main (DE) with professor 

Amy Sillman in 2020, after having earned a Bachelor’s Degree (B.A. Hons, Fine Art) at the Manchester School of Art, Manchester (UK) in 2015. Solo exhibitions include Louise Giovanelli: A Song of Ascents, Hepworth Wakefield, Wakefield (UK); Here on Earth, White Cube Hong Kong (HK); Louise Giovanelli - Paintings 2019 - 2024, He Art Museum (HEM), Foshan (CN); Soothsay, GRIMM, New York, NY (US); Always Different, Always the Same, Moon Grove, Manchester (UK); Collection Spotlight: Louise Giovanelli, Grundy Art Gallery, Blackpool (UK); and Auto-da-fé, GRIMM, New York, NY (US). Recent group exhibitions include A Room Hung With Thoughts: British Painting Now, curated by Tom Morton, Green Family Art Foundation, Dallas, TX (US); Ensemble, The Perimiter, London (UK); Immortal Apples, Eternal Eggs, Hastings Contemporary, Hastings (UK); True Colors, AkzoNobel Art Foundation, Kunstmuseum, The Hague (NL); Good Morning, Midnight, The Courtauld Gallery, London (UK); and In Focus, Centraal Museum, Utrecht (NL).

Giovanelli’s work can be found in the collections of the AkzoNobel Art Foundation (NL); Asymmetry Art Foundation (UK); The Contemporary Art Foundation (JP); Fundación Medianoche0 (ES); The Grundy Gallery Collection (UK); Hall Art Foundation (DE, US); Hill Art Foundation (US); Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami (US); Longlati Foundation (CN); Manchester Art Gallery Collection (UK); MOCA, Los Angeles (US); The National Museum (NO); Sarow Gallery Collection (DE); The UK Government Art Collection (UK); The University of Salford Collection (UK); Warrington Museum and Art Gallery (UK); Whitworth Art Gallery (UK); and Yuz Museum Shanghai (CN), among others.