Michal Korman: The Rendezvous for an Innocent Walk
9th January, 2025 – 9th March, 2025
sketch
9 Conduit St
London W1S 2XG
In the culminating exhibition of a year-long collaboration between Hong Kong and Shanghai-
based Pearl Lam Galleries and Mayfair restaurant sketch, three brand-new paintings by Paris-based Slovakian artist Michal Korman will be showcased throughout the entrance hall of sketch from 9 January to 9 March.
This partnership has provided a platform for artworks from the gallery’s international roster to be shown in the UK, fostering cross-cultural exchange and underscoring how both food and art play a central role in creating memorable experiences and meaningful connections.
The exhibition presents a series of interconnected scenes exploring French gardens and interiors
associated with the legacy of Marie Antoinette, framed as though viewed from behind a French window.
Oil on Canvas
Michal Korman
Image courtesy of Pearl Lam Galleries
© Pearl Lam Galleries
These works weave together themes of love, memory, and tranquility, each tied to an eighteenth-
century French garden. The interplay between interior and exterior scenes creates a dialogue, with each composition acting as a window—either opening to an outdoor landscape or an interior—directly engaging with the environment of the Grade II listed building.
Upon entry, visitors will be greeted by La Bourrasque (The Squall), which depicts a portion of the
Belvedere in Le Petit Trianon, Versailles—Marie Antoinette’s favoured retreat. Designed by Richard
Mique and located in the English-style garden, the Belvedere pavilion serves as a focal point. The scene captures three figures: a couple of lovers and a solitary figure walking against the wind. A dachshund waits patiently on the terrace of the Belvedere pavilion, while two birds are caught mid-flight in the gusts of wind.
Michal Korman
Image courtesy of Pearl Lam Galleries
© Pearl Lam Galleries
Korman’s second artwork, titled Home, takes the form of a single-panel interior view featuring a large bookshelf and Louis XVI-style furniture. Within the painting, the books on the shelves reference art, artists, travel and Marie Antoinette herself, evoking themes of both intellectual and domestic life. This painting suggests a lived-in space, a house perhaps belonging to a couple, complete with a memory picture on the shelf.
The artist’s final composition, L’Accalmie (The Lull), offers a peaceful view of the gardens at the Château de Bagatelle. Built in 1777 by the Count d’Artois as part of a wager with Marie Antoinette (a challenge to construct a château within 100 days), Bagatelle exudes an intimate, idyllic atmosphere. Here, a couple enjoys a moment of quiet repose amidst the serene landscape. The series ultimately revolves around the figure of lovers—from the couple battling the wind in
La Bourrasque to the domestic intimacy ofHome, and the quiet harmony of L’Accalmie.
Spearheaded by Pearl Lam and Mourad Mazouz, the collaboration has spotlighted international voices from China, Africa, and Britain, fostering dialogue and cross-cultural exchange between the East and West. Joining a roster of previously exhibited works including Danful Yang’s imaginative designs, Alimi Adewale’s textile explorations of Nigerian heritage, and Mr Doodle’s playful takeover of the iconic pod area, this latest series by Michal Korman has further transformed the London destination into a vibrant platform for global creativity.
Michal Korman
Image courtesy of Pearl Lam Galleries
© Pearl Lam Galleries
Pearl Lam, Founder of Pearl Lam Galleries, says, “This collaboration with sketch has been an incredible opportunity to bring the voices of our Hong Kong and Shanghai galleries to London. Mourad’s vision for accessible art aligns perfectly with our mission to foster cross-cultural dialogue and showcase the perspectives of our international roster.
This platform has allowed us to share compelling stories with a broader audience. In a time when galleries in Asia are striving to connect globally, this partnership has been a vital way of engaging people beyond traditional museum contexts and inspiring new ways of experiencing art.”
Mourad Mazouz, Founder of sketch, says, “The partnership with Pearl Lam Galleries has allowed sketch to showcase the gallery’s thought-provoking roster of artists. Pearl and I share a vision of internationality and how art can create meaningful memories for visitors to sketch. We are so pleased to be exhibiting Michal’s paintings in our entrance hall at 9 Conduit Street, inviting our guests to escape into his layered landscapes.”
Michal Korman: The Rendezvous for an Innocent Walk on the 9th of January, 2025 until the 9th of March, 2025 at sketch
©2025 Pearl Lam Galleries
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