Pictures

Between four eyes

This series of work, executed as a graduate diploma thesis

for the artist's studies, presents a series of renewed versions

of well-known portraits from the history of art.
The life-sized portraits were selected for their seemingly
sudden penetrating glance to the spectator
and the image of the spectator is reflected back into the portrait.
A fascinating dialog resumes between the observer
and the observed.

The method of using 100% cotton fiber paper
that is mixed in with the clay, or 'paper clay',
offers a timeless aspect as a blotter by the torn
or deckel edges of each piece and also by the cracked glaze
on the surface of the image.

These elements accentuate the human presence of the glance
from the person represented in the portrait.

The installation is presented in a perfectly horizontal arrangement
exactly at eye level to achieve the utmost personal contact
and aesthetique effect.

Between Four Eyes (extract), 2004 18.4 x 24 cm porcelain mixed with fibres of paper glaze type shino and image transfer oxyd. 1260°C with 3rd cooking 840°C réf. Autoportrait, Théodore Chassériau, 1835	Id. ref. Portrait d'un garçon (Herbert Rainer), Egon Schiele, 1910
Id. ref. Gothique américain, Grant Wood, 1930	Id. ref. Portrait d'une jeune femme, Petrus Christus, around 1470

Following, she selects paintings from the history of art,
and alters these images by cutting and pasting
and by accentuating the relief of the image
by the treatment of the glaze.

The well-known painting by Picasso, 'Dora Maar', is composed
of 12 individual ceramic elements, and when assembled,
measures 117 x 83 cm.
The cracked glaze accentuates the humanity of the character
and gives a historic feel to the work.

The invitation to touch and feel the object is an important aspect
of the artists' work.

From another work of Picasso, 'the Acrobate', she repeats
the painting in a composition of three ceramic elements,
side-by-side, similar to a Greek frieze.
The use of the 'crackle'' glaze creates an impression
of the character that is trying to break
from the confines of the framework where he is trapped.

The fragility of us as human beings and how we identify
ourselves and communicate with others
are themes she often presents in her work.

Simonetta, 2005 19 x 40 cm porcelain mixed with fibres of paper glaze type shino and image transfer oxyd. 1260°C with 3rd cooking 840°C ref. Simonetta Vespucci by Piero Cosimo, in the beginning of the XVIth century and "Portrait de dame noble" by Antonio Pollaiolo, around 1465	Benozzo Gozzoli,2005 19 x 40 cm. Id. ref. Leonello d’Este par Pisanello, 1441 and fresco of "La chapelle des mages" in Florence by Benozzo Gozzoli, 1459
Jeune- fille à la fenêtre, 2005 19.4 x 24 cm. Id. ref. Jeune-fille à la fenêtre Nicolas Maes, around 1655
Portrait de jeune-homme, 2005 117 x 83 cm. Id. ref. Portrait de jeune-homme, Giorgione	Dora, 2005 work composed of 12 plaques 117 x 83 cm. Id. ref. Dora Maar, Picasso, 1937
The acrobate, 2005 work composed of 3 plaques 19.4 x 24 cm. (x3) Id. ref. L’acrobate, Picasso, 1930

Method :

The material used is porcelain mixed with paper fibers.
She creates the flat, two dimensional plaques of clay.
Then she works on the surface texture.
The physics of expansion and contraction from heating
and coiling must be considered through every step of the process.
The glaze, which is a very dense liquid allows for cracks to form
when applied within the borders of the image. After the first firing,
the contour is drawn of what will be the final image.
The image which has been photocopied to the size desired
is treated by a special process which will deposit ceramic oxides
onto the image. A clear lacquer is silkscreened over the image
that will allow it to become transferable and detachable
from the clay plaque.