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The exhibition
One of cinema's first international stars, the funny and moving Tramp became the darling of the Western world as soon as he appeared in 1914, taking over movie theaters and appearing in newspapers and advertisements. But the character created by Charlie Chaplin was more than just a popular media phenomenon. The filmmaker also had a direct influence on the artists of his time, sharing many of their thoughts and concerns.
In some 200 paintings, photographs, drawings, sculptures, documents and, of course, film extracts, the exhibition offers a rediscovery of the works of František Kupka, Marc Chagall, Fernand Léger, Man Ray, Meret Oppenheim, John Heartfield, Claude Cahun... highlighting the porosity, proximity and even connivance between their artistic productions and Chaplin's cinema.The exhibition is organized around four themes...
...each introduced by excerpts from Chaplin's films.
- L'homme-machine explains the dehumanizing beauty of machines, and how artists like Fernand Léger and František Kupka have translated it.
- Poetics of the World evokes the poetry that lies at the heart of modern life, as understood by André Breton, René Magritte and Claude Cahun.
- Le Spectacle mis en abyme shows the extent to which artists such as Alexandre Calder and Marc Chagall identified with acrobats and circus performers.
- L'Absurdité de l'histoire (The Absurdity of History) describes the tragic social and historical contexts of the first half of the 20th century, and the revealing role played by artists such as Victor Brauner and Erwin Blumenfeld.
Marc Chagall, À Charlot Chaplin, 1929, Paris, Centre Pompidou, Musée National d'Art Moderne - Centre de Création Industrielle © Centre Pompidou, MNAM-CCI, Dist. RMN-Grand Palais / Philippe Migeat © ADAGP, Paris, 2019 Charlot as mediator and audiences at the heart of the exhibition
An internationally (re)known and extremely popular figure, the character of Charlie Chaplin and his creator serve as guides for visitors to (re)discover avant-garde artists, from Russian Constructivism to Dada, via Surrealism...
Charlie Chaplin's films provide visitors with a universe of reference that makes it easier to decipher these different artistic movements.
At the heart of the Patio, a central volume, "The Dream Factory", is dedicated to young and old alike. Numerous guided tours are offered, as well as workshops and shows.An anniversary year
The exhibition joins the celebration of Charlie Chaplin's 130th birthday. In autumn 2019, two other exhibitions offer a rereading of Chaplin's work and the dialogue between the arts: Charlie Chaplin, l'homme orchestre proposed by the Philharmonie de Paris from 10/10/19 to 01/26/20 and Arts et Cinéma : les liaisons heureuses from 10/18/19 to 02/10/20 at the Musée des Beaux-arts de Rouen.
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In photos
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On video
Reports Exploration Exhibition
Dive into the heart of the Charlie Chaplin in the Eye of the Avant-Garde exhibition with Claire Lebossé's Exploration Exposition reports, co-produced with Télénantes.
Episode 1
Episode 2: Machine man
Episode 3: The poetics of the world
Episode 4: The show in abyme
Episode 5: The absurdity of history
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Exhibition catalog
Catalog cover for the exhibition Charlie Chaplin in the Eye of the Avant-Garde This catalog is published on the occasion of the exhibition Charlie Chaplin dans l'œil des avant-gardes presented at the Musée d'arts de Nantes, in the Patio from October 18, 2019 to February 3, 2020.
Available for consultation at the museum library, and on sale at the museum bookshop-boutique.
General curator: Sophie Lévy, curatorial director of the Musée d'arts de Nantes.
Scientific curator: Claire Lebossé, heritage curator at the Musée d'arts de Nantes, in charge of modern art collections, assisted by Zoé Isle de Beauchaine, art historian.
The exhibition is organized with the help of our partners Roy Export and Chaplin's World by Grévin and supported by RSM West, LNA Santé and SNCF Réseau.
Caption and credits
Charlie Chaplin, Modern Times, 1936 © Roy Export S.A.S