Amazons and Other Stories
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In the series “Amazons”, Delphine Lebourgeois produces portraits of imaginary women warriors. Obsessional, falsely serene or simply wild, the amazons resonate with a world of romantic visions never devoid of humour or irony.
“Birds in Hair Curlers”, “Army of brides”, “Huntress of the porcelain stag”….Delphine’s images are poetic, yet conceptual and stray away from the obvious. As she explains ” my work is about solving problems with elegant, economic and surprising solutions. I am happy when I find an idea that startles me enough that I can start drawing”
In most cases, her images narrate a quest, a struggle, a fight or an adventure. Delphine describes her creative process as an enterprise in itself: ” If a mistake happens, I work around it, but I never start again. Scribbles, cut holes, tears and repairs are part of the building of the image. The creative process is performative, and can last for a long time. I like to be surrounded by unfinished pieces, by an “in waiting” body of work, alive with numerous possibilities of outcome.”
Influenced by Fairy tales, Mythology and ancient civilizations, the Amazons’ portraits are telling us a story of combativeness and survival. They explore intuitively the emotions of anger, fear, humour and tranquillity, and identify them as creative energies. Beyond the stories narrated, they bring us back to our own realities and the drive it takes to achieve even the smallest things.
Delphine Lebourgeois graduated in Fine Art, Lyon (France) and then completed an MA illustration at Central St Martins (2005) Since then, she has worked for numerous clients including The Guardian, The Times, Penguin, Harper Collins and the BBC. She has taken part in many group exhibitions. This is her second solo show following the A&D Gallery in 2007.