–the penultimate visit of the season–

Journey from the light into darkness and back again

Season II • Visit 9 • Gallery
French Artist

GRÉGORY DERENNE

Res in luce

Thursday, 16th April 2026
19h - 20h

Guided Visit by the Artist in French

Backslash Gallery
29, rue Notre-Dame de Nazareth
75003 Paris

M°4, 8, 9 Strasbourg-Saint Denis
M°3 Temple
M°3, 5, 8, 9 Republique

Limited to 20 dues paying CAAF members only. You are a dues paying member if you have paid your dues since December 2025. Want to join the visit but not yet a dues-paying member?

[ Renew or Become a dues paying member here ]

Due to the popularity of the visits, reservations will be honored on a first come first serve basis. You will receive a second email a week before the visit to confirm your place or state if you are on the waiting list.

ABOUT THE ARTIST / EXHIBITION

Grégory Derenne (b. 1978, France) graduated from the École nationale supérieure des beaux-arts of Paris in 2007. His work has been shown in numerous international fairs and galleries. He recently took part in the exhibitions Immortelle at the Mo.Co in Montpellier and Le Jour des Peintres at the Musée d’Orsay.

Known for his luminous depictions of escalators and nocturnal urban landscapes, the artist now turns inward with a new body of still lifes that shift his focus from the flows of the city to quieter, more contemplative spaces. Initiated in 2020, these paintings arise from a patient and intuitive process: rather than staging compositions, Derenne paints objects that appear in his daily life—fruits, vases, and familiar items—revisiting the long tradition of still life through a distinctly contemporary lens. Drawing on a deep visual memory of artworks encountered in museums while avoiding direct quotation, he develops a personal pictorial language where light, matter, and time seem suspended. Each painting is presented in a carefully selected frame sourced from flea markets and reworked by the artist, becoming an integral extension of the work itself. In continuity with his earlier series—maintaining the same precision of framing and sensitivity to light—these intimate compositions invite viewers into a slower, more reflective mode of looking, where everyday objects quietly hold the traces of time, memory, and human presence.

ABOUT THE SERIES

Each visit includes a guided tour led by an artist, curator, or gallerist, followed by an engaging discussion at a Paris art gallery or artist atelier. It provides a unique opportunity for alumni, artists and galleries to connect, fostering meaningful relationships around the world of contemporary art.

Visits are free and exclusive to dues-paying CAAF members. It offers an intimate opportunity to engage with contemporary art and ask your pressing questions.

Previous Visits have included:
Mehdi Khalvati @ Atelier
Tom Sachs / Martha Jungwirth @ Thaddaeus Ropac
Roxane Gouguenheim @ by Lara Sedbon
Jeffrey Gibson @ Hauser & Wirth
Maxime Riché @ Atelier
Trevor Yeung @ Galerie Allen
Laëtitia Badaut Haussmann @ Atelier
Laëtitia Badaut Haussmann @ Emanuela Campoli
Difference and Repetition @ Gagosian
Brunschwig / Burstein @ Hélène Lamarque
Terence Gower @ Andréhn-Schiptjenko
Francis Picabia @ Hauser & Wirth
On Kawara @ David Zwirner
Jacqueline de Jong @ Galerie Allen
Alex Katz @ Thaddaeus Ropac

QUESTIONS

Any questions concerning this visit or the series contact:

Victor Schaub Wong ‘91 GSAPP
CAA France Board Member
email