Manceeeeeeep

The lovely art of Claude and Francois-Xavier Lalanne is coming to Fairchild!

Accredited by the American Association of Museums, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden in Miami, is truly a unique place. There you can walk garden paths surrounded by the wonders and beauty of nature, admire the tropical plants, view impressive art, and see butterflies and birds at every turn. This winter, Fairchild is presenting the largest outdoor exhibition of works by French sculptors Claude and Francois-Xavier Lalanne. " Les Lalanne at Fairchild " features over 20 sculptures displayed throughout the 83-acre paradise, including the couple's well-known flock of sheep and lambs " Moutons." The exhibit opens on November 30, to coincide with Art Basel Miami Beach, and runs through April 1, 2011.

Claude Lalanne (b. 1924) was born in Paris and studied architecture at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts and at the Ecole des Arts Décoratifs. François-Xavier (1927-2008) was born in Agen and studied painting at the Julian Academy in Paris. His first painting exhibition was in 1952 and in 1956 he began creating sculptures with his wife Claude. Known collectively as Les Lalanne, they developed a style that defines inventive, poetic and surrealist sculpture. Claude Lalanne is known for working with plants in her sculptures, while Francois-Xavier is known for depicting animals in his works. In this playful table, Mrs. Lalanne proves that while their styles were distinct, they husband and wife team clearly influenced each other.

Les Lalanne, Moutons ( 1988-1994 )