Holy masquerade- final body of work (2024)

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ARTIST STATEMENT

Reflecting on the majesty of Venice, this body of work comprises a series of drawings in various sizes and scales, using different materials, arranged in an installation arrangement. The images are of religious, iconic, and cultural subjects, including the Virgin Mary, angels, baby Jesus, gondolas, the Venetian cross, the Rialto Bridge, architecture, masks, and Venice’s native flower, the fleur de lis. The initial drawings were made in graphite, at a small scale. These were then reproduced using a tracing method and blue watercolour paint onto transparent paper; on completion, they were hung from long strings, like flags. Photocopied enlargements of the original drawings were installed as a large-scale montage that encroached upon the architecture of the space. Finally, reproductions of the large drawings were made as paintings on plastic sheeting, hung with light shining through them, reminiscent of stained-glass windows. In this body of work, colour is predominantly blue, chosen specifically to conjure the sacred and magical qualities of the Italian city known for its unique setting on the canals, which rise and fall. This work stemmed from a collaboration with Venetian tailor, artisan, textile designer, costume maker, and shop owner Stefano Capon from La Galleria del Tessuto.