Pulp Fashion - The Art of Isabelle de Borchgrave
Please someone, beam me across the country, as I'd like to see Pulp Fashion, an exhibit currently on display at the Legion of Honor Fine Arts Museum in San Francisco.
Marie Claire de Croy and Child, after the painting by Van Dyck, 2010
Isabelle de Borchgrave is a Belgian artist with a love of costumes and textiles. By painting and shaping simple rag paper, she creates astonishingly opulent costumes. some of which are designs extracted from historical paintings. The collection includes examples that span from the Renaissance to the early 20th century.
Photo courtesy Créations Isabelle de Borchgrave
Here's Isabelle (far left), at work with collaborators on a piece of paper "fabric" that is based on Massimo Stanzione’s painting, Woman in Neapolitan Costume.
Neapolitan Woman, 2010, after Stanzione's ca. 1635 portrait
Though her work has been widely shown in Europe, this is the first time it has been seen as an entire exhibition in America. Isabelle began the sixty piece collection in 1994, and each dress takes at least several weeks to create. What's especially wonderful for the viewer, is being able to see a painting brought to life, so to speak, in all three dimensions.
18th century men wore gorgeous brocade coats, but these are paper, of course, as are all of the accessories and smallest finishing touches in Isabelle's body of work... lace, buttons, and jewelry.
The Medici family of the Renaissance
The exhibit closes on June 5, but if you can't be there in person, this excellent documentary [edit: no longer available] is truly the next best thing to being there.
photos via the Legion of Honor website, except as noted.
Marie Claire de Croy and Child, after the painting by Van Dyck, 2010Isabelle de Borchgrave is a Belgian artist with a love of costumes and textiles. By painting and shaping simple rag paper, she creates astonishingly opulent costumes. some of which are designs extracted from historical paintings. The collection includes examples that span from the Renaissance to the early 20th century.
Photo courtesy Créations Isabelle de BorchgraveHere's Isabelle (far left), at work with collaborators on a piece of paper "fabric" that is based on Massimo Stanzione’s painting, Woman in Neapolitan Costume.
Neapolitan Woman, 2010, after Stanzione's ca. 1635 portraitThough her work has been widely shown in Europe, this is the first time it has been seen as an entire exhibition in America. Isabelle began the sixty piece collection in 1994, and each dress takes at least several weeks to create. What's especially wonderful for the viewer, is being able to see a painting brought to life, so to speak, in all three dimensions.
18th century men wore gorgeous brocade coats, but these are paper, of course, as are all of the accessories and smallest finishing touches in Isabelle's body of work... lace, buttons, and jewelry.
The Medici family of the RenaissanceThe exhibit closes on June 5, but if you can't be there in person, this excellent documentary [edit: no longer available] is truly the next best thing to being there.
photos via the Legion of Honor website, except as noted.
I'm going to San Fran next week! Talk about serendipity. I'm definitely catching this show and taking my kids.
ReplyDeleteWow what beautiful work of art, thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeletePaula
What incredible talent ,you are so right about paintings brought to life.
ReplyDeletevery beautiful work. I love costumes too {especially from the Renaissance period} and even better if it is made out of paper}
ReplyDeleteanother great find Ann
I really enjoyed this here is beautiful I love you Paula work
ReplyDeleteGreetings Baukje
this is amazing!
ReplyDeletedear Ann,
ReplyDeletethank you for sharing this! such an amazing artist!
I'm fortunate enough to live in San Francisco, and just went to "Pulp Fashion" last Friday. If you are a paper person, drop everything and come! This is the most amazing paper work I have ever seen--the apotheosis of paper! Paper has nowhere to go from here....Prepare to be blown away.
ReplyDeleteThanks for getting the word on this exhibit out to the paper community!
Amazing!!! Thanks so much for sharing this Ann.
ReplyDeletewowza! that is so cool! i can't get over how cloth like the paper is, so incredible.
ReplyDeleteThanks everyone. Andria, thanks for your validation. What you said about how paper has nowhere to go from here is akin to what I was thinking.
ReplyDeleteMy sister got me her book for christmas a few years ago. If you haven't seen it, Paper Illusions: The Art of Isabelle de Borchgrave is truly stuninng. Not only includes the full fashions, but up close photos of shoes, jewelry, etc.
ReplyDeleteThanks for mentioning the book, Beverly - I'll look for it.
ReplyDelete