Cover image: Signage in front of Serpentine Gallery North, London
© Entrée to Black Paris

After viewing Barbara Chase-Riboud's exquisite exhibition at the Institut Giacometti in late 2021, I knew I had to go to London to see her solo show entitled Infinite Folds.

During the week before Christmas, Tom and I took the Eurostar across the Channel to do just that.

On the afternoon of our second day in town, we ventured over to Serpentine Gallery North at Kensington Gardens in Hyde Paris, had a late lunch at the gallery's restaurant, The Magazine, and then went to the exhibition.

Even though the gallery requests that you sign up for a predetermined time slot, tickets are free.  Because our plans changed, we showed up at the gallery outside the time slot we had reserved. 

Fortunately, there was a lull in visitation at the hour.  We were heartily welcomed, and had the place pretty much to ourselves.  No one even asked to see our tickets!

Walking Angel
1965 Barbara Chase-Riboud
Bronze
© Entrée to Black Paris

Tom gazing at Confessions for Myself
1972 Barbara Chase-Riboud
Bronze, paint, and wool
© Entrée to Black Paris

Infinite Folds presents six themes related to Chase-Riboud's work as it has unfolded during her 50+ year career: The Early Years, Material Experimentation, Monumental Figures, Divine Energies, The 1970s, and Memoria. 

Several of the works in this show were presented at the Giacometti, but they take on a different energy at the Serpentine.  I was pleased to see them again, and even more pleased to discover so many additional two-dimensional and three dimensional works by Chase-Riboud.

Bathers
1967 Barbara Chase-Riboud
Aluminum and Silk
© Entrée to Black Paris

The New Concubine Pearl Monument, Beijing
1997 Barbara Chase-Riboud
Mixed media on paper
© Entrée to Black Paris

Time Womb (with cord)
1967 Barbara Chase-Riboud
Polished aluminum and silk
© Entrée to Black Paris

The sculptures presented in Divine Energies and Monumental Figures have been placed in rooms completely lined with red brick.  The photos below do not do justice to the setting - it is extremely powerful.

Monumental Figures
© Entrée to Black Paris

Divine Energies
© Entrée to Black Paris

A final room is devoted to a single sculpture - La Musica Josephine Black/Red (2021).  This work is the latest in a series called La Musica, for which several pieces are currently on display in St. Louis, MO at the Pulitzer Arts Foundation's retrospective of Chase-Riboud's work entitled Barbara Chase-Riboud Monumentale: The Bronzes.

A manifesto called "From Malcolm to Josephine," attributed to Chase-Riboud and Sir Reginald Jackson, is affixed to the left wall just past the entrance to this room.  The only other thing present in the room is the sculpture.

La Musica Josephine Baker Black/Red
2021 Barbara Chase-Riboud
Black patina bronze with red cord
© Entrée to Black Paris

This is the first time La Musica Josephine Baker Black/Red has been exhibited anywhere, so I was pleased to be able to view it in solitude.

I chatted with one of the gallery docents for some time about the exhibition and about this sculpture in particular.  She thought the show would be extended, but at the time I write this, I have not seen such a notification.

If you are planning to visit London in the next couple of weeks, I highly encourage you to see Infinite Folds!

Serpentine North Gallery
Kensington Gardens
London
Open Tuesday-Sunday 10am-6pm