DELPHINE LEBOURGEOIS
The Inner Child, 2014
76(w) x 104(h) cm
Giclee print on Hahnemuhle Photorag paper
Image size: 67 x 94cm.
£750 (incl.VAT)
Delphine Lebourgeois' new limited edition print The Inner Child combines elements of previous works by the artist and brings them all together. Featuring a crescent of women in pairs, all facing the same way, their left arms stretched out in unison holding a pistol, there are similarities here of Delphine's previous piece 'Army', and the subjects’ extravagant hair pieces are reminiscent of her early Deesse works, which focused very much on using headwear in a metaphorical sense, relating to individuality, identity and personality.
The new print was inspired by and directly relates to a drawings from Delphine's new and ongoing series of original works on paper titled 'The Girl Has A Gun', which is the first substantial collection of ink drawings the artist has ever released. After working predominantly with prints in recent years, Delphine said she felt the need to restore the notion of "risk" in image making, which is something that doesn't apply to digital practice, where tools such as Photoshop offer infinite possibilities and allow mistakes to be ironed out easily. These works have therefore come from the artist's desire for the 'honesty' of pen and paper and the freedom of creation outside of commercial pressures she experiences as a freelance illustrator.
The series began in December 2013, and without knowing where it would take her, Delphine started again drawing groups of people, layered and intertwined like in pervious works such as Volcano Geology, Photo De Classe and Army. She's very much interested in the power of crowds, and the fact that they can either be considered as a protective shield or a threatening menace. Interestingly, Delphine sees The Inner Child as the former. For her this image is about protecting one's innocence and freedom of thought necessary for a certain level of creativity (our 'inner child'). However, for me, depending on which side you mentally place yourself when looking at this image - the left side or the right ride - I think this piece could be perceived as either. On the left you're being protected, however if you were just off the page on the right it could easily be a different story!
The artist goes on to explain that in previous pieces, her "army-like groups of women acted as a metaphor for self representation, illustrating the struggle of working and surviving as an artist". With this new series, however, she felt the subject matter naturally expanded into giving a personal take of the feminine condition as a whole.
The process Delphine chooses to work in has been carefully thought out to reflect and support the ideas behind her work, and this is something I really like. The original drawings were created with a fine pen and then coloured with transparent inks, and are detailed and layered. By working in this way, Delphine aims to underline the fragility and complexity of a women's status in the modern world. In The Inner Child, bodies are replicated and organised in a geometrical way, but heads and expressions are unique. This represents the break in the pattern, allowing ideas such as conformism and peer pressure, solidarity and belonging to be conveyed.
Although one of the drawings forms the basis of this new print, with a similar composition and initial appearance, the limited edition is a piece in itself and not a reproduction of the drawing. Using her original illustrations as a basis, Delphine works on new colours and textures digitally, combining marks made by her hand with pen on paper with those she makes on the computer. By doing this she can create effects she's unable to with ink, and this is where we see Delphine's real professionalism come through; she's not afraid of using modern techniques and new processes to create her wonderfully complex and beautifully executed art.
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