Ultra Violet & The Factory Tribute
Multi-Art Performance
A multi-art performance from New York-based French artist Pascal Blondeau, this performance is a tribute to his mentor Ultra Violet, who was the studio assistant and muse of Salvador Dalí in the 1950s and a member of Andy Warhol’s Factory in the 1960s.
Program
”Only You Could Have a Face Like That” / “Avec ta gueule pas comme les autres”
PROGRAM:
Conceived & performed by Pascal Blondeau
Music composition by Benjamin Swax
Purple douleur
In the eyes of Andy
Histoire de l’art
You are
Rock n’ roll artytude
Smile
Only you could have a face like that
Adieu, Purple Reine
About the Artist
Pupil, studio assistant, and muse of Salvador Dali in the fifties, central member of Andy Warhol’s Factory in the sixties, Ultra Violet (1935-2014) emerged as a prominent and established avant garde artist who was exhibited throughout the world. Playfully and intuitively, she used time and talent to create works that are infused with energy, light, spirituality, symbolism, profundity, global meaning, and humor. Ultra Violet’s paintings, 3-D constructions, mixed-media installations, and drawings reveal a visual universe filled with rainbows, angel, blue skies and white clouds, but they also contain material related to the chaos and destruction that challenges our 21st century world. Above all, this artist sought to fill the viewer’s eye and mind with light.
French artist Pascal Blondeau has taken an unconventional path to arrive at his goal: photography.
As a child he dreamt of being a dancer and singer. In 1989, the renowned singer Alice Dona opened a music school in Paris, where Pascal was accepted. There he studied dance, singing, comedy, and scenography for six years. After graduating he worked in Theaters and on TV shows throughout Paris.
Blondeau then moved to New York, where he met Ultra Violet, the superstar of Andy Warhol’s Factory. Ultra Violet soon became his most beloved mentor. In 2011, Blondeau collaborated with Ultra Violet on the exhibition “9/11 OH MY GOD” held at The Invisible Dog in Brooklyn. This exhibition drew inspiration from oppositions such hot/cold, beautiful/ugly, soft/hard, etc. These sometimes frightening dichotomies provide Blondeau with passionate subjects for his art.
In 2014, Blondeau was selected as one of the 35 internationally acclaimed photographers whose work was chosen by Christine Dutreil, executive director of the Anne Fontaine Foundation, to appear in the exhibition “Trees in Focus.” After being exhibited at Sotheby’s New York and Sotheby’s Paris, Blondeau’s contribution, called Forêt Interdite, was purchased by Sotheby’s Paris, marking the first time his work had entered a prestigious private collection. Forêt Interdite explores the idea of the double “I” in all of us, which is a central concept that guides much of Bloneau’s work.
His exhibition in 2015 “Swimming pool, tribute to David Hockney” at the Galerie Mourlot New York was his most recent achievement.
Author, composer, and singer Laurence Cohen has been a Professor of Vocal Techniques and the Director of the children’s department at AICOM, a professional music school in Paris. She is the vocal coach for the international television program The Voice Kids, and has performed as a vocalist on many famous musicals including The Violin on the Roof and Anne Franck.
Vincenzo Mingoia graduated as a pianist from the Conservatoire National Supérieur Musique et Danse and has taught at many conservatories of classical music. Mingoia studied singing, theater and classical dance at the French musical school, AICOM, where he now serves as a Professor of Music in piano. Mingoia has also worked as a composer and scenographer for several different shows in France and Belgium.
Notes
The Phillips Collection is proud to present ”Only You Could Have a Face Like That” / “Avec ta gueule pas comme les autres” - a multi-art performance by Pascal Blondeau.
French artist Pascal Blondeau presents his multi-art, one-man show which pays tribute to Ultra Violet. Dressed in purple from her hair down to her shoes, Warhol Factory icon and pop artist Ultra Violet was a striking figure on the New York art scene for more than 50 years.
Throughout the play, accompanied with songs and reading, the spectators witness personal and vibrant stories of the friendship between Ultra Violet and Pascal Blondeau.
Ultra Violet: Cheriii, with a face like that you’re gonna kill it.
Ultra Violet: Your freedom makes me feel young again.
UV: Ah cheriii, you’ve sure got a way with seduction.
Pascal: Please, stop looking at me like a big slice of chocolate cake.
UV: You’re awful cute, but I don’t eat sweets, cheriii…
P: Hello daaarling, I’ve got something to ask you.
UV: At my age, I only answer “yes” to one thing: a marriage proposal!
P: So, daaarling, would you want to marry me?
UV: That depends on the sum of your dowry, cheriii.
UV: Do you love me?
P: Not when you are crying.
UV: In that case, I’ll laugh.