Louise Bourgeois and Tracey Emin in Il corpo come dimora

Villa Hélène, built by Hendrik Christian Andersen himself in 1922, was conceived not merely as a home and studio, but as part of a broader vision linked to the project of a ‘world city’ in which art, science and thought could contribute to the construction of a harmonious society. His sculptural output also reflects this striving towards an ideal, monumental and universal human figure.

It is precisely in relation to this conception of the body that the work of the 42 female artists featured in the exhibition finds its place. Andersen’s idealised and harmonious body is juxtaposed with bodies shaped by experience, memory, identity, vulnerability, desire and transformation. The project forms part of a wider research programme dedicated to women’s artistic production in the second half of the twentieth century and the contemporary era, which, through a series of exhibitions and talks, brings together generations, artistic languages and practices.