On an inconspicuous Parisian street, there is a not-so inconspicuous, hot pink bookshop called Violette and Co.
They describe themselves as a bookshop for girls and tomboys and claim to be a ‘bright, welcoming, animated’ place. They specialise in texts of various forms: novels, essays, graphic novels and DVDs which value women, feminism and homosexuality in all forms.
This little bookshop is celebrating its first decade of existence and for the occasion have put on an exhibition in their gallery space called 10 years 40 artists which runs until 6th April. The owners asked around 80 artists who have already exhibited at Violette and Co to contribute works for their birthday exhibition. 40 artists obliged, some of whom even created a piece especially for the occasion. The website describes the exhibition as a testimony of the loyalty to not only the bookshop’s owners, but also to a certain creative, sometimes militant, but always different, artistic commitment.
If the shop seems small, the gallery space is even smaller and therefore the exhibition too, but what it lacks in size it makes up for in presence. In fact, the size of the collection really lends to its power; one has time to consider each piece in detail as there are not masses of works to see. The different contributions consist of paintings, drawings, photographs and sculptures by women and men covering various themes.
One of the main themes, as with any exhibition dealing with women’s work, is the female form in its various representations.
Anne Cacitti ‘Masculin, féminin’
Some artists explore the idea of the masculine and the man.
Tom de Pékin ‘Save by the shower’
A nod to the location in which the exhibition is held is effectuated through works representing literature and books.
Edith Polikaoff ‘The Avid Reader’
But perhaps the most pertinent theme is the representation of homosexuality with a part of the ‘A_Part_Of’ project by an artist simply named Suzanne. Her project shows photos of fully-clothed gay couples lying on top of a bed together, the goal of the project being “to show we exist, here and everywhere. Men, women, together. A part of society, a part of humanity.” Which is achieved by showing people who are ‘normal,’ who are just like everyone else. A relevant statement, given the recent issues surrounding gay rights.
Much of the art is for sale but for those on a budget there are also postcards in the bookshop.
Violette and Co
102 rue de Charonne
75011 Paris