Les tontons flingueurs, 2024

Valérie Durand  

In this work made of brushed aluminum, Valérie Durand revisits the universe of 'tontons flingueurs', a cult French film directed by Georges Lautner in 1963.

The artist appropriates an iconic scene from the film by confronting the black and white aesthetic of 1960s cinema with a resolutely contemporary graphic intervention.

The upper part of the composition retains the force of the cinematic image in black, white, and gray, while the chairs in the foreground emerge in vibrant shades of pink, orange, green, blue, and red. This intrusion of colors creates a spectacular contrast and gives a new energy to this scene deeply rooted in the French collective memory.

The choice of brushed aluminum fully contributes to the visual identity of the work and gives it a singular contemporary presence.

Between contemporary art, popular culture, and French cinematic heritage, Valérie Durand thus offers her own interpretation of an image that has become iconic.

A strong and immediately recognizable work, intended for collectors of contemporary art, lovers of French cinema, and enthusiasts of popular culture icons.