The work of Joana Vasconcelos at Versailles 2012

The long awaited exhibition at Versailles of the renowned Portuguese (born in Paris) artist Joana Vasconcelos opened today, June 19 and will be on view until September 30, 2012.

In the Grand Apartments and in the gardens of the Palace of Versailles, visitors will be able to appreciate 17 of the most famous and iconic works of the artist. Coração Independente Vermelho (2005); Coração Independente Preto (2006); Valquíria Enxoval (2009); Mary Poppins (2010); Marylin (2011), are some of the works being exhibited.

 Eight of them were especially created for the exhibition: Lilicoptère (2012), a real Bell 47 helicopter featuring Arraiolos rugs inside, covered in gold-leaf, hand dyed pink ostrich feathers and Swarovski crystals;Perruque (2012), a work produced in collaboration with Fundação Ricardo Espírito Santo that pays tribute to the 19 children born in the Chambre de la Reine, as an egg shapped sculpture with hair tufts that also represens the wigs and the Fabergé eggs; Le Dauphin (2012) and La Dauphine (2012), two ceramic lobsters from Rafael Bordalo Pinheiro faiences painted with ceramic glaze and covered with azores crocheted lace; Blue Champagne (2012), made with Pommery champagne bottles; Vitral (2012), a 13sqm tapestry executed by the Manufactura de Tapeçarias de Portalegre; Royal Valkyrie (2012), a work that reinterprets the exuberance of Versailles; Golden Valkyrie (2012), considered by the artist as the central work of the exhibition, linking history and contemporary art.

The exhibition can be visited during the following schedule:
Grand Apartments: open everyday except Mondays, 9:00 am - 6:30 pm (last admission: 6:00 pm)
Gardens: open everyday, 8:00 am to 8:30 pm

Tickets:
Grand Apartments: Passport or Palace ticket.
The audioguide, which contains commentaries on several works in the exhibition, is included in the price of the ticket.

Gardens: Free admission, except Musical Fountains Show and Musical Gardens days (Saturdays and Sundays, Public Holidays and some Tuesdays). On these days you can visit the gardens with a Passport or Gardens ticket.

After Jeff Koons, Takashi Murakami and Xavier Veilhan, Joana Vasconcelos is the first woman and the youngest artist to exhibit at the Estate of Versailles. The Joana Vasconcelos Versailles exhibition is curated by Jean-François Chougnet