Jennifer Lefort: Grand Salon of Ideas

Come explore the colorful world of Jennifer Lefort at her new exhibition Grand Salon of Ideas. Opening at the Castellani Art Museum on April 11, 2024, this show celebrates twenty years of Lefort's bold and colorful art. She's known for her big paintings and sculptures that play with color in a way that can make you feel like you're part of the artwork.

Imagine walking into a room where the walls are alive with colors and shapes that tell stories—this is what Lefort's early works like Ice Cream Intercourse and Hangin’ In are all about. They're big, bright, and full of life. Her later works, like In the Midst (purple changes everything) and Nothing Is Wasted If It Feels Like This, invite you into a world where every splash of paint has its own story.

The namesake and the star of the show is the Grand Salon of Ideas, a huge 20-foot-wide painting that's like nothing you've seen before. It's inspired by an old painting from 1883 by Henri Gervex, but it's all about today—how we see art and who gets to be a part of it.

Lefort isn't just about painting; she's been making sculptures too. They're like 3D versions of her paintings, and they add a whole new layer to her art. Additionally, this is her first solo show in an American museum and the CAM is honored to host it.

The museum's curator, Michael J. Beam, says this exhibition is like a walk through Lefort's artistic world. And Jennifer herself says about her art: "My work offers a space for speculation and fantasy, contemplation and projection. It is both pre-tech and post-virtual at once."

This means her art isn't just about what you see; it's about where it can take your imagination. It's a place where you can dream and see things in a new way.

We're kicking things off with a big opening reception on April 11 starting at 4:30 p.m., and the exhibition will be open until January 7, 2025. So, come on over to see Grand Salon of Ideas and dive into Jennifer Lefort's colorful imagination.

Member and NU Reception
4:30 to 5:30 p.m. | CAM Members and Niagara University preview hour and artist Q&A