Sumptuous scenes glorify the female figure in Olivia De Bona’s straw marquetry — Colossal



Art

#tarsi #Olivia De Bona #plants #straw

Through glimpses of elegant interiors luxuriant with plants, the Parisian artist Olivia DeBona celebrates the beauty and contours of the female body. His straw inlay– the process of applying thin layers of material (usually veneer) to a surface – adds natural texture, variegation and historical relevance to such intimate and decadent scenes. Referring to the romanticism and Vietnamese wood carving traditions of his ancestors, the works require “patience, and an incalculable number of hours, which allows me to immerse myself out of time and brings me back to something very concrete, real, far from famous, in front of myself and in homage to all the women artisans of the forgotten work”, says the artist.

Viewing now at BEERS London, De Bona’s latest body of work deals with voyeurism, involving the viewer from the very beginning. Sensual and highly stylized, the pieces largely portray naked women unaware and in a moment of transition, shown through elements such as “a hidden passage, a door, a transition from one state to another where we can peek at what is hidden and what which is revealed,” shares the artist. The exhibition is entitled the panache, a term that today indicates flamboyant confidence and that historically denotes an elaborate headdress, the latter recalled in the fiery red feathers of « La Poule ».

De Bona is drawn to this sense of “reckless courage” that “turns all women into goddesses. I put my loving, tender gaze on all of her bodies, all shapes of her,” he says. Many of these recent works were inspired by the artist’s friend, a professional dancer who joined her in the studio to perform. “This has very little to do with voyeurism and is really about tenderness,” shares De Bona. “A connection between people, between women, which leaves room for discussion and creativity. There was a very raw connection between her movements in my space and my craftsmanship in relation to my work.’ Each interior is lavish and mature with plants, stone tiles, animals and soft places to rest. Overshadowed by a half-open door or from a fern facade, these domestic spaces are fertile and offer space for contemplation, solitude and imagination.

Several works shown here are included in The panachevisible until 10 June. For more inlays, murals and other De Bona projects, visit Instagramand find prints in his shop.

“Sieste crapulence 5pm” (2022), straw marquetry, acrylic and pigmented clay on wood, 61 x 50 centimeters

“Le Bouquet” (2023), acrylic, pigmented clay and straw marquetry on wood, 60 x 42cm

“La Poule” (2023), acrylic and straw marquetry on wood, 73 x 60 centimeters

Detail of “Le Bouquet” (2023), acrylic, pigmented clay and straw marquetry on wood, 60 x 42cm

Left: “Un Long Dimanche” (2022), acrylic and straw marquetry on wood, 68 x 56 centimetres. Right: “La Toilette” (2021), 50 x 100 centimetres

Detail from “Un Long Dimanche” (2022), acrylic and straw marquetry on wood, 68 x 56 centimeters

« boudoir »

#tarsi #Olivia De Bona #plants #straw

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