'Lisa Brice shines in Paris debut with Thaddaeus Ropac' Review by Rory Mitchell

In terms of milestones, LIVES and WORKS (16 October–23 December 2023) at Thaddaeus Ropac Paris Marais will be up there for South African-born artist Lisa Brice. Not only is it Brice's debut with the gallery since she joined their roster in November 2022, but also the artist's first solo exhibition in France. Ropac's decision to schedule Brice in Paris during Art Basel (20–22 October 2023) is a vote of confidence from a gallery with a strong foothold in Europe, with two galleries in Paris and two in Salzburg.

For this presentation, Brice responds to painters active in the French capital from the mid-19th to the early 20th century. (...)

A favourite of chef Margot Henderson, the painting features protagonists from Brice's previous works, reimagining Manet's classic through a wholly feminine atmosphere; beer and champagne are replaced by rum and Stag beer, while dancers are in place of barmaids. The effect is both saucy and alluring, critiquing objectified femininity in favour of fierce confrontation.