Sophie Calle, Sans lui, 2020

Loss, love, family: French artist Sophie Calle explores major subjects that affect our daily lives by shaking our standard patterns and beliefs. In this book, she focuses on matrimonial classified ads published in different media between 1895 and 2019. Culled by the artist and sorted by decades, the women ads looking for men and vice versa, highlight the main qualities sought-after for both genders and love tastes through different epochs. Calle draws up a sociological view of the evolution of male-female relationship through time with all the poetry and humour that are characteristic of her work.

A selection of detachable vintage ads and two plates of transfer images allowing each reader to personalize his book, punctuate this amorous catalogue.

Conceived in collaboration with the publishing house Cent pages, this book follows on from a series of four-handed books designed with the artist since M’as-tu vue by Atelier EXB/Éditions Xavier Barral. Sophie Calle pays tribute with this publication to the artistic complicity developed over many years with Xavier Barral.