Description

DELPHINE LEBOURGEOIS. Still Life, 2013. 53(w) x 65(h) cm. Archival print with hand finishing in ink on Hahnemuhle Photorag paper. Edition of 35. image size: 48.5 x 59.5cm. £450. Featuring an array of beautifully-coloured exotic birds, here Delphine revisits the subject of these creatures being entwined in a hair-like substance which has been a running theme in previous drawings. In past works, hair curlers have been substituted by blackbirds (presenting a surreal alternative to the normal beauty regime!), which ties in with her focus on ‘head gear’ for women, as seen in the popular ‘Deesse’ series. Here in Still Life however, the hair association is less literal, and the stringy matter that wraps around the subjects’ vibrant feathers could be twine or string as its muted tone almost fades into the background colour of the image. But at a closer look, perhaps these could be bandages; the unusually rigid flower stems are more like spears which have pierced through the bodies of the birds causing injury. Detailed and exquisitely created, it’s difficult to take a brief glance at a piece of Delphine’s work due to the depth and content, both in terms of physical imagery and symbolic references. Emotions run high as two of the birds - the two that Delphine has created from her imagination - sing with passion, perhaps their last song. The pink flamingo and the scarlet ibis are quiet and still, perhaps having already sung; the white flowers are lilies, which are often used to symbolise death. As I often mention when talking about specific pieces of work, great imagery means something different to everyone and it’s up to us how we wish to interpret what we see. For me, despite the arguably sombre connotations, this image is a beautiful one and there’s a sense of peace, comfort and reassurance. Each individual print of this edition of 35 is uniquely hand-finished in ink by the artist.