New Heroes & Villains by Delphine Lebourgeois
We are pleased to announce the release of four new works by Delphine Lebourgeois.
French born Delphine created these pieces in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks in Paris, as a response to her feelings as a woman, a parent, a French citizen and a human being. Her initial response was to create the two prints, Superheroes I and Superheroes II, both works representing her feelings as a parent put to paper, the thought that you must do your best in your role in the face of such a complicated and seemingly negative backdrop. To protect your children, to keep them safe in a world that seems so unstable and to do all this whilst battling your own demons, an underprepared, untrained ‘superhero.’
This resonates with so many of us, and here we see why art is so important in our society, it affords us the opportunity to explore our thoughts, fears and often our failings. Delphine’s response to an attack on western free speech is poignant for so many of us who condemn such violence, it reminds us of our responsibility to the younger generation. In Superheroes II we see the mother cradling her child, with a cigarette in her fingers, not exactly dressed for battle, with stockings and heels, floral tattoos on her arms, she looks shocked as though she was happily going about her liberal life, before she was made to don her symbolic superhero attire, this mother didn't sign up to be a saviour but will try her damnedest anyway.
Delphine’s love of elaborate decoration, attire and headdresses have been toned down dramatically for these works, perhaps due to the sensitive nature of its narrative, and also to be direct with the symbolism within each piece.
We don't think Delphine is overtly trying to be controversial in the way she addresses her response to the attacks, it is a raw and honest appraisal of the fear she feels having bought a child into the world and her questioning if she is able to step up to the role of protector.
The two smaller original works ‘Bye Bye Mummy,’ and ‘Belonging’ are a more generalised comment on the vulnerability of youth and inexperience, and the games we play as adults. In the aftermath of the terrorist attacks, Delphine looks into the fragility of innocence and how young people in their desperate search to belong are turning to an extreme form of comfort. By turning the mask wearing heroes from Superhero I and Superhero II into the captors in these original pieces, we see what can make them appear to be exciting to young minds, but the detail on their matching uniforms give a clue to what lays ahead and the trusting wave back to us the viewer is a stark reminder of our obligations to our children.
These works can be viewed at the upcoming Affordable Art Fair, Battersea 10-13 March 2016
Click on each image to view full information on the artwork.
For all enquiries please contact us at art@gasart.co.uk or call Gina Cross +44 (0) 7950 415422