Women as warriors, sphinxes, dominas, or cat goddesses — Leonor Fini's works often revolve around female protagonists. A multi-talented and intrepid forward thinker, Fini (b. 1907, Buenos Aires; †1996, Paris) refused to be pigeonholed into categories. Her art explores gender norms as well as eroticism and humor.

In LES GARDIENNES, guest curators Lisa Klosterkötter and Alicia Reymond focus on the work of the artist Leonor Fini, some of whose works are in the possession of the Kunstmuseum Bochum, and place them in a dialogue with positions from contemporary art. The special architecture of the first floor of the Kunstmuseum is transformed into a stage that connects the interior of the museum with the adjacent garden area and opens a kind of portal into the world of Leonor Fini.

The exhibited works by Leonor Fini and artist Frederik Vium will be complemented by two site-specific performances by artists Mayara Yamada and Rosanna Graf and Paulina Nolte on February 11, 2023, starting at 4 pm.

The exhibition takes place within the framework of Residence NRW+ and is supported by the Ministry of Culture and Science of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, the Kunststiftung NRW and Pro Helvetia.