Claire Pestaille
The Nymphadalidea Collective
![]() Tempestby CLAIRE PESTAILLE, acrylic on paper, 28.4x21cm 2014 | ![]() Bellaby CLAIRE PESTAILLE, acrylic on paper, 28.4x21cm 2014 |
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![]() Violaby CLAIRE PESTAILLE, acrylic on paper, 28.4x21cm 2014 | ![]() Trudineby CLAIRE PESTAILLE, acrylic on paper, 28.4x21cm 2014 |
![]() Merciaby CLAIRE PESTAILLE, acrylic on paper, 28.4x21cm 2014 | ![]() Satanaby CLAIRE PESTAILLE, acrylic on paper, 28.4x21cm 2014 |
![]() Taraby CLAIRE PESTAILLE, acrylic on paper, 28.4x21cm 2014 | ![]() Aameliaby CLAIRE PESTAILLE, acrylic on paper, 28.4x21cm 2014 |
![]() Cyrby CLAIRE PESTAILLE, acrylic on paper, 28.4x21cm 2014 | ![]() Kahinaby CLAIRE PESTAILLE, acrylic on paper, 28.4x21cm 2014 |
![]() Salomeby CLAIRE PESTAILLE, acrylic on paper, 28.4x21cm 2014 | ![]() Erinyesby CLAIRE PESTAILLE, acrylic on paper, 28.4x21cm 2014 |
![]() Dianaby CLAIRE PESTAILLE, acrylic on paper, 28.4x21cm 2014 | ![]() Luciaby CLAIRE PESTAILLE, acrylic on paper, 28.4x21cm 2014 |
![]() Soniaby CLAIRE PESTAILLE, acrylic on paper, 28.4x21cm 2014 | ![]() Black Orchidby CLAIRE PESTAILLE, acrylic on paper, 28.4x21cm 2014 |
![]() Rosellaby CLAIRE PESTAILLE, acrylic on paper, 28.4x21cm 2014 | ![]() Loreleiby CLAIRE PESTAILLE, acrylic on paper, 28.4x21cm 2014 |
![]() Starrby CLAIRE PESTAILLE, acrylic on paper, 28.4x21cm 2014 | ![]() Camillaby CLAIRE PESTAILLE, acrylic on paper, 28.4x21cm 2014 |
![]() Violettaby CLAIRE PESTAILLE, acrylic on paper, 28.4x21cm 2014 | ![]() Lillithby CLAIRE PESTAILLE, acrylic on paper, 28.4x21cm 2014 |
![]() Magentaby CLAIRE PESTAILLE, acrylic on paper, 28.4x21cm 2014 | ![]() Dionyzaby CLAIRE PESTAILLE, acrylic on paper, 28.4x21cm 2014 |
![]() Moiraiby CLAIRE PESTAILLE, acrylic on paper, 28.4x21cm 2014 |
The Nymphadalidea Collective
The Nymphadalidea Collective (2013-2014) explores my fascination with the butterfly print and how it originated. Earlier known as Klecksography or ink blots, devised by Justinus Kerner (poet) in 1851 and used as illustrations to his work. Later these inkblots also became known as Gobolinks or shadow pictures. The latter eventually captured a great deal of interest and the work by Ruth McEnery Stuart and Albert Bigelow Paine made into a book form game “for young and old” was published in 1896. The work taught the reader how to create ink-blot monsters in order to ignite imaginative creative writing. The method, indeed similar to that used by Kerner, involved dropping ink or paint onto a piece of paper which was then folded thereby producing a double-sided mirror reflection in two halves.
Klecksography was studied with great fascination by Rorschach, the Swiss psychoanalyst, and this technique of ink blots was later made famous and was to become more popularly known as the Rorschach Test. The ink blot test became a tool used by psychologists in order to examine personality characteristics and emotional functioning by triggering associative thoughts, involuntary imagination and unconscious desires. It is still used in the world of psychotherapy to this day for studying the subconscious.
The work I produced in the Nymphadalidea collective originated from a selection of vintage photographs of burlesque dancers. Burlesque performers entertained the audience through political and theatrical satire (whilst being the object of sexual desire for men). They defied conventions of their time by challenging the role of women in society. Adopting the technique of the ink blot upon the burlesque dancers my objective was to produce a double sided mirror which enhanced their feminine powers whilst allowing an associative trigger of the imagination akin to Klecksography.