Camille Henrot, a French artist known for blending multimedia and contemporary art forms, recently discussed her ongoing exploration of themes related to care, communication, and chaos during a meeting at her Chelsea studio in New York City. Henrot’s latest work, including a series of dog sculptures and the collaborative exhibition “Commedia dell’arte,” reflects a nuanced intersection of formal artistic practices and everyday experiences.
Henrot, recognized for her diverse background spanning advertising, music video direction, and experimental film, presented smaller dog sculptures crafted from steel wool, wax, and acrylic resin at Hauser & Wirth gallery. These pieces have attracted critical praise for their ability to meld the rigor of modernist abstraction—reminiscent of artists like Lipschitz and Calder—with elements of warmth and domestic life, such as the presence of a mother managing two young children in an urban setting.
The artist’s multidisciplinary approach extends to her recent partnership with co-writers, including Johanna Hoy and Daria Gelfman. Together, they developed “Jus d’Orange” (2023) and the current show, “Commedia dell’arte,” which delves into themes of social precarity, particularly highlighting the challenges faced by gig workers in securing stable housing. Gelfman noted her own need to miss the exhibition’s debut in Aspen due to employment obligations, underscoring the precarious economic realities for many artists—a subject Henrot described as “a little bit of a taboo topic” in the art world.
Henrot’s artistic lineage draws from diverse influences: her grandmother’s work as a librarian, her mother’s skills in taxidermy and engraving, and her father’s role as an early internet engineer. This heritage informs her interest in data, systems, and the accumulation of personal archives. She recalls a period of collecting film reels and ephemera extensively, a practice that culminated in large-scale installations showcased at the Palais de Tokyo in Paris in 2017, where intricate maps and taxonomies connected personal detritus with broader cultural narratives.
Her collaborations with composers, including her husband Mauro Hertig, contribute distinctive soundscapes to her performances. Hertig’s scores for pieces like “Commedia” interweave synthesizers, piano, and environmental sounds, while “In the Veins” features a darker romantic soundtrack that contrasts with the earlier, more optimistic imagery of Henrot’s 2013 Venice Biennale piece, “Grosse Fatigue.” Massimiliano Gioni, director of New Museum and a longtime supporter of Henrot’s work, remarked on the shift from the proliferating natural imagery of “Grosse Fatigue” to the more somber tone depicting ecological concerns and intimate moments of motherhood in “In the Veins.”
Throughout the creative process, Henrot maintains a precise artistic discipline, carefully directing elements such as lighting and actor positioning during rehearsals. Her balancing of formality and informality, as well as her willingness to embrace tenderness and empathy as essential aspects of her work, highlights a consistent dedication to human connection amid complexity and uncertainty.