Title: ‘Art’
Author: Yasmina Reza
Original language: French
Translation(s): 30 languages
Context: Art is a French-language play by the well known author Yasmina Reza. The play was premiered in Paris at Comédie des Champs-Élysées in the year 1994. Subsequently in 1996, the play ran in London and in 1998 it ran in Broadway. Main focus of the play is on the meaning of friendship to the man who purchased a painting and the two friends who come and see the painting.
Synopsis: The play also focuses on the meaning of friendship. The comedy play raises questions about friendship and art related to Yvan, Marc and Serge, three long-time friends. Serge has great penchant for modern art and accordingly indulges in purchasing an expensive and large fully white painting. The three friends have different opinions about what ‘Art constitutes leading to strained relations in their friendship. Caught in the middle of their conflict is Yvan who makes attempts to soothe and appease both Serge and Marc. The play is divided into sections ranging from 1 to 17 by Pigeat. Dialogues in the play vary with many of them being monologues where characters directly address the audience, some dialogues are between two characters and one is a conversation between all the three friends. Prominent on display is the large white painting in many of the scenes set at the flat of Serge.
Novels
1997 – Hammerklavier
1999 – Desolation
2003 – Adam Haberberg
2005 – Nulle Part
2005 – On Arthur Schopenhauer’s Sledge
2007 – L’Aube le soir ou la nuit
2013 – Happy are The Happy
2016 – Babylone
Plays
1987 – Conversations After a Burial
1980 – The Passage of Winter
1995 – The Unexpected Man
2000 – Life X 3
2004 – A Spanish Play
2006 – God of Carnage
2015 – Bella Figura
Screenplays
1983 – Till Night
2000 – Lulu Kreutz’s picnic
2011 – Carnage
As Actress
1982 – Let the Fat Cats Lift a Finger
1991 – Till Tomorrow
2001 – Faraway