Nymphe
2018, mixed media
36 x 24 in
Inspired from a recent Parisian weekend excursion, I started working on a piece to capture the perfectly manicured Jardin des Tuileries. I was immediately drawn to Nymphe, a statue by Louis Auguste Lévêque.
Staying true to this Belgian painter's aesthetic, which was grounded in surrealism and symbolism, I contrasted a picture of the statue (found media) against a backdrop of oversized peonies in different stages of blossom. The petals fluttering towards the light is an allegorical reference from the Dutch Golden age of still life.
To replicate the "lightness" of peonies, I sculpted the petals using soft fabric and painted on the draped layers.
Gary Low
4/9/2018