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 Femme Maison

Diane

Diane

by CLAIRE PESTAILLE Paper Collage 27.9 x 38cm 2016 Unique

Carmella

Carmella

by CLAIRE PESTAILLE Paper collage Unique 27cm x 33.5cm 2015

Hampton

Hampton

by CLAIRE PESTAILLE Paper collage Unique 2016

Sophie

Sophie

by CLAIRE PESTAILLE Paper collage 22.5 x 39.5cm 2016 Unique

Madeleine

Madeleine

by CLAIRE PESTAILLE Paper collage Unique 27cm x 33.5cm 2015

Jean

Jean

by CLAIRE PESTAILLE Paper collage Unique 25.5cmx37cm 2015

Boscobel House

Boscobel House

by CLAIRE PESTAILLE Paper Collage 22 x 28cm 2016 Unique

Adena

Adena

by CLAIRE PESTAILLE Paper collage 20 x 26.5cm 2016 Unique

Simone

Simone

by CLAIRE PESTAILLE Paper Collage 21x29cm 2015 Unique

Holly Hill

Holly Hill

by CLAIRE PESTAILLE Paper collage Unique 2016

Brigitte

Brigitte

Photo Collage (Commissioned by Hotel Cafe Royal, London) 2018

Rond-Point Bugeaud

Rond-Point Bugeaud

by CLAIRE PESTAILLE Paper collage Unique 27cmx33.5cm 2015

Sheraton

Sheraton

by CLAIRE PESTAILLE Paper collage 22 x 28cm 2016 Unique

Rue Madamoiselle

Rue Madamoiselle

by CLAIRE PESTAILLE Paper collage Unique 22cmx42cm 2015

The Beehive House

The Beehive House

by CLAIRE PESTAILLE Paper Collage 20.9 x 26.6cm Unique 2016

Strawberry Mansion

Strawberry Mansion

by CLAIRE PESTAILLE Paper collage 22x28cm Paper Collage 2016 Unique

Elizabeth

Elizabeth

Photo Collage (Commissioned by Hotel Cafe Royal, London). 2018

HeadTeller

HeadTeller

by CLAIRE PESTAILLE Paper collage Unique 23cmx38cm 2015

Lizbeth

Lizbeth

by CLAIRE PESTAILLE Paper collage Unique 17 x 23.5cm 2015

Love Lane

Love Lane

by CLAIRE PESTAILLE Paper collage Unique 22cmx34cm 2015

Love Lane (II)

Love Lane (II)

by CLAIRE PESTAILLE Paper collage 22cmx38cm 2015 Unique

Love Lane III

Love Lane III

by CLAIRE PESTAILLE Paper collage Unique 22cmx38cm 2015

Jardin des Poets

Jardin des Poets

by CLAIRE PESTAILLE Paper collage Unique 27cmx33.5cm 2015

Audrey

Audrey

by CLAIRE PESTAILLE Paper collage Unique 22cmx26cm 2015

Marissa Dress

Marissa Dress

by CLAIRE PESTAILLE Paper collage Unique 27cmx33.5cm 2015

Matriarch

Matriarch

by CLAIRE PESTAILLE Paper collage Unique 27cmx33.5cm 2015

Rue Flaneurette

Rue Flaneurette

by CLAIRE PESTAILLE Paper collage Unique 18cmx29cm 2015

Femme Maison

 

My inspiration for this series of work was a drawing by Louise Bourgeois titled Femme Maison. Ive always found her work inspirational especially her interest in psychoanalysis and how it influenced her art.

 

The Femme Maison (1946-47) paintings by Louise Borgoise touch upon the problem of identity for women.  Here, the heads of nude female figures have been replaced by architectural forms, resulting in a symbolic condensation of the conflict between domestic and sexual roles. For Bourgeois architecture symbolized the social world that attempts to define the individual, in contrast to the inner world of emotion. The tension between figure and architecture mirrors the dichotomy between mind and body. Bourgeois suffered from agoraphobia, and often withdrew into her house for protection. Yet, as Bourgeois wrote, “the security of the lair can also become a trap.” http://arttattler.com/archivebourgeois.html

 

Borgoise’s paintings accentuated the problems with female identity in the 40’s and 50’s whereby the social architecture of the house was used to mask and almost suffocate the emotional/personal identity. In my series I was interested in how architecture in the present day defines women. The head of the house hold, the owner of the house, the businesswoman, the manager, the CEO. Women’s roles have dramatically altered since the 40’s and this is reflected in the architecture and the mask that is worn.

 

Whilst creating these new works, I also looked at haute couture, corset design and the works of Lee Bowery and Alexander McQueen. My question was how can I make these buildings wearable, mask-like, skin-like by adopting the  mechanics of fashion. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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