Iris Clert
Iris Clert (Greek: Ίρις Αθανασιάδη; Iris Athanasiadi; 1917 – 1986)[1] was a Greek-born art gallery owner and curator. She owned the Galerie Iris Clert from 1955 to 1971. During its tenure, her gallery became an avant-garde hotspot in the international art scene, particularly to Yves Klein, Jean Tinguely and Arman.
Iris Clert | |
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![]() Iris Clert posing atop le Plein | |
Born | Iris c. 1917 |
Died | 1986 |
Occupation | Gallery owner, curator, socialite |
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Originally of Greek nationality, Clert became an overnight socialite with the success of her gallery.
Clert was active in the French Resistance during the Second World War.
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In 1961, Robert Rauschenberg, who would become one of the forerunners of the Neo-Dada movement, was invited to participate in an exhibition at the Galerie, in which the artists were to create and display a portrait of Iris Clert. Rauschenberg proceeded to send a telegram to the Galerie, containing the words "This is a portrait of Iris Clert if I say so/ Robert Rauschenberg". This was a significant move for Rauschenberg and the artistic community, signifying a step away from the Dadaist work of Marcel Duchamp and Jasper Johns - which tended to focus on the role of the observer in applying meaning to a work of art - and toward a more active role of the creator in defining art's meaning.
In 1978, Clert published her autobiography titled Iris-time : l'artventure.[2]
References
- Luxembourg & Dayan (2015). "Microsalon: An Homage to Iris Clert". Frieze Masters. Luxembourg & Dayan. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
- Clert, Iris (1978). Iris-time: l'artventure. Paris: Denoël.
- The Formidable Blue Stamp of Yves Klein by John Held Jr.
Further reading
- Clert, Iris (1975) Iris time and life: Mémoires sonores d'Iris Clert
- Clert, Iris (1978). Iris-time: l'artventure. Paris: Denoël.