On View

Gallery Hopping: Three Decades of Sophie Calle’s Life at A3, Berlin

It's a poignant survey of the conceptual photographer's work.

Alyssa Buffenstein

Celebrating a working relationship more than a decade old between the gallery’s founder and artist Sophie Calle, a solo exhibition by the French artist opened last week at Arndt Art Agency (A3) in Berlin. “View of my Life” is a survey of works made between 1980 and 2012, all on loan from private collections.

The artist has been working with A3 founder Matthias Arndt since 1995, and “View of my Life” is the ninth solo show with the gallery, which has been known as Arndt & Partner, ARNDT, and now A3.

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Sophie Calle, Birthday Ceremony (1986) (1980). Image courtesy of A3.
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Sophie Calle, Juge/Judge X (2007). Image courtesy of A3.
Sophie Calle, Juge/Judge X (2007). Image courtesy of A3.
Sophie Calle, Birthday Ceremony (1986) (1980). Image courtesy of A3.
Sophie Calle, Birthday Ceremony (1986) (1980). Image courtesy of A3.
Installation view of Sophie Calle's "View of my Life." Image courtesy of A3.
Installation view of Sophie Calle's "View of my Life." Image courtesy of A3.
Sophie Calle, The View of My Life (2010), from the series "The Autobiographies." Image courtesy of A3.
Sophie Calle, The View of My Life (2010), from the series "The Autobiographies." Image courtesy of A3.
Installation view of Sophie Calle's "View of my Life." Image courtesy of A3.
Installation view of Sophie Calle's "View of my Life." Image courtesy of A3.
Sophie Calle, Mother Father Son Nr 483 (1990). From the "Les Tombes" series. Image courtesy of A3.
Sophie Calle, Mother Father Son Nr 483 (1990). From the "Les Tombes" series. Image courtesy of A3.
Installation view of Sophie Calle's "View of my Life." Image courtesy of A3.
Installation view of Sophie Calle's "View of my Life." Image courtesy of A3.
Sophie Calle, Last Seen ... Degas, drawing (detail) (1991). From the "Last Seen" series. Image courtesy of A3.
Sophie Calle, Last Seen ... Degas, drawing (detail) (1991). From the "Last Seen" series. Image courtesy of A3.

Works in the show come from diverse series of the artist’s oeuvre, but for the most part the works are extremely personal in nature. Take Care of Yourself, first shown at the 2007 Venice Biennale, is a series based on a breakup email, which Calle asked 107 different women to interpret, while she photographed them. Or, Birthday Ceremony, a ritualistic performance undertaken by the artist each year on her birthday, where she collected gifts and stored them in a cabinet as reminders of affection from her loved ones.

Photographs, text, and objects blend to create an intimate and relatable portrait of the artist.

Sophie Calle, “View of My Life” is on display at Arndt Art Agency (A3) in Berlin until November 18, 2016.

Alyssa Buffenstein

Contributing Writer, Berlin
Article topics
Contemporary Slideshow

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