Steffani Jemison, whose work is presented by Madragoa gallery from Lisbon in the Emergence sector, dedicated to showcasing emerging artists and galleries, has won a grant from Lafayette Anticipations to produce a work within the foundation’s studios. This will be accompanied by a solo exhibition at Lafayette Anticipations in Paris the following year.

Following Akeem Smith (Heidi) and Mohamad Abdouni (Marfa’ Projects) in previous years, Jemison was selected by a jury composed of Guillaume Houzé, President of Lafayette Anticipations; Rebecca Lamarche-Vadel, Director of Lafayette Anticipations; Leonie Radine, curator at Museion in Bolzano, Italy; X Zhu-Nowell, Artistic Director of the Rockbund Art Museum in Shanghai; and Abdouni, who is currently presenting ‘Soft Skills’ at Lafayette Anticipations.

This year at the Grand Palais, on Madragoa’s booth, the American artist, born in 1981, presents a massive cyclorama – a technique from the theater world involving the suspension of a semicircular curtain at the back of the stage to create a sense of vastness. Jemison’s installation incorporates never-before-seen photographs inspired by the myth of Icarus, in which bodies shot from below appear to levitate in front of distant skyscrapers.

The Galeries Lafayette group is the Official Partner of the Emergence sector. Each year, Lafayette Anticipations – Fondation Galeries Lafayette presents an award to an artist exhibiting in the sector. Chosen by an international jury, the selected artist is invited to produce a new piece to exhibit at Lafayette Anticipations the following year.