Le Féminin

Opera Gallery Paris

15 May - 18 June 2025

Opera Gallery is proud to present ‘Le Féminin’, a group exhibition featuring nearly 50 artworks that reimagine and redefine the representation of women in art. This show brings together a diverse range of paintings, sculptures, video installations, and drawings created between 1900 and 2024.

The exhibition features celebrated artists such as Amoako Boafo, Fernando Botero, André Brasilier, Bernard Buffet, Marc Chagall, George Condo, Paul Delvaux, Andy Denzler, Raoul Dufy, Philippe Hiquily, Fernand Léger, Henri Matisse, Gustavo Nazareno, Julian Opie, Pablo Picasso, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Niki de Saint Phalle, Xevi Solà, Manolo Valdés, Kees van Dongen, Andy Warhol, and Tom Wesselmann.

A Century of Female Representation in Art

‘Le Féminin’ invites visitors to explore how the female figure has evolved as both subject and symbol in visual culture. The exhibition opens a dialogue on identity, gender, representation, and the shifting roles of women in art — from objectified muse to autonomous protagonist.

Spanning from early 20th-century modernism to contemporary expression, the works showcase a wide spectrum of approaches. Marc Chagall and Paul Delvaux offer poetic, dreamlike portraits of women, while Julian Opie’s minimalist video installations reflect on contemporary identity and societal norms. Andy Denzler’s blurred, introspective paintings and Xevi Solà’s emotionally charged portraits delve into psychological complexity.

From Icon to Individual: Women as Subjects and Symbols

Highlights include Laced Fingers (2022) by Amoako Boafo, a contemplative portrait rendered in his signature finger-painting style, and Nude in the Red Studio in Vence (1945) by Raoul Dufy, a vibrant depiction of the female figure in the artist’s creative space. Tom Wesselmann’s bold nudes challenge objectification, while Niki de Saint Phalle’s Dominique (jambe en l’air) (1966) from her iconic Nanas series celebrates femininity and motherhood through joyful, sculptural forms.

Niki de Saint Phalle is notably the only female artist in the exhibition, serving as a poignant counterpoint to the male-dominated canon and a reminder of the historical absence of women as creators.

An Ongoing Dialogue

By bringing together works from different eras and artistic movements, ‘Le Féminin’ reveals how portrayals of women have both mirrored and questioned societal norms.

‘Le Féminin’ is a tribute to the enduring presence of women in art, not just as subjects of beauty and desire, but as complex, multifaceted individuals. It is an invitation to reflect on how art can both reinforce and resist cultural stereotypes — and how the female figure continues to be a powerful force for storytelling and transformation.