The Shape of Us
Opera Gallery Geneva presents ‘The Shape of Us’, an exhibition exploring the enduring representation of the human form. Featuring over 20 works by modern, post-war and contemporary artists, it offers diverse perspectives on its depth and complexity.
The human figure has been a central subject in art for centuries, from prehistoric fertility symbols to Renaissance humanism and Picasso’s radical reinterpretations. Artists have continually reimagined it to express beauty, spirituality, and emotion. Today, this exploration extends to themes of identity, society, and digital culture, as contemporary artists challenge and expand its representation.
Through abstraction, distortion, idealisation, and simplification, ‘The Shape of Us’ highlights the evolution of these interpretations. The exhibition brings together works by Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, Jean Dubuffet, Andy Warhol, Georg Baselitz, A.R. Penck, George Condo, Fernando Botero, Manolo Valdés, and Julian Opie, alongside up-and-coming talents such as Andy Denzler and Gustavo Nazareno.
A testament to the boundless ways artists interpret the human figure, 'The Shape of Us' invites viewers to reflect on its universal themes—identity, emotion, and humanity—while bridging cultures, eras, and artistic visions.
SELECTED WORKS
Alex Katz, Kristen, 2005
Oil on linen
213,4 x 152,4 cm | 84 x 60 in
Niki De Saint Phalle, Dawn Jaune, 1995
Painted resin
144 x 114 x 57,5 cm | 56.7 x 44.9 x 22.6 in
Fernando Botero, Picnic, 2009
Oil on canvas
98.4 x 129.2 cm | 38.7 x 50.9 in
Manolo Valdés, Desnudo sobre fonda rosa, 2011
Oil, thread and burlap collage on linen
170.5 x 230 cm | 67.1 x 90.6 in
George Condo, Large Reclining Nude, 2013
Ink and gesso on paper
153 x 194.3 cm | 60.2 x 76.5 in