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La dame en rouge
Celia Rakotondrainy
2018, 50x 40 cm, Oil on canvas
(Unframed)
The artist's Malagasy origins are the|central theme of her work, a starting point to delve into the construction of cultural identity as a result of a series of collective and not individual experiences. Through her trips to Madagascar to her parents' home, the artist completely identifies with the environment and the problems of her fellow citizens. The search for answer to identity is joined by the desire to show a Madagascar full of colors, rich in natural resources and also in poverty. Away from the stereotypes of a dangerous country characterized in the French press, Celia shows the humanity of its people in everyday scenes. The impact of globalization makes established dogmas questioned, as well as old beliefs and traditions.
In "La dam e en rouge" the reflection of Malagasy society, where agriculture still carries a great weight, Celia portrays a woman peeling a banana tree perhaps preparing for a meal. It is an intimate moment between the artist and the protagonist w here the question of social differences and the cultural shock arises.
The artist, who identifies herself, on one hand with the tradition of Madagascar society, and on the other hand, with the modernity of the Western world where she grew and was brought up. The colors are warm on a flat background that accentuates the activity that the protagonist is carrying out where housework continues to be part of the main activity of women.
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Le sourire aux yeux
Celia Rakotondrainy
2019 (reworked 2020), 50 x 40cm, Oil on canvas
The artist's Malagasy origins are the|central theme of her work, a starting point to delve into the construction of cultural identity as a result of a series of collective and not individual experiences. Through her trips to Madagascar to her parents' home, the artist completely identifies with the environment and the problems of her fellow citizens. The search for answer to identity is joined by the desire to show a Madagascar full of colors, rich in natural resources and also in poverty. Away from the stereotypes of a dangerous country characterized in the French press, Celia shows the humanity of its people in everyday scenes.The impact of globalization makes established dogmas questioned, as well as old beliefs and traditions.
"Le sourire aux yeux" presents a clear contrast with the previous one, where a young woman smiles. The angle of this uncommon portrait is surprising where it is the smile that is drawn in the gaze that is guessed in the part that has not been portrayed. It is the hope of the liberation of the future of women in Madagascar with modern times and new customs. Again, as a parallel and signature of the artist, we observe the enhancement of the portrayed figure in contrast to a flat background in color and lacking in motif. Celia thus gives us to understand that the theme is not the main thing in her work, but the emotion on the faces of her fellow citizens, in the warmth of the moment of the portrait.
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Yesterday was tough but tomorrow will be better
Celia Rakotondrainy
2019, 108 x 105 cm, Oil on canvas
The artist's Malagasy origins are the central theme of her work, a starting point to delve into the construction of cultural identity as a result of a series of collective and not individual experiences. Through her trips to Madagascar to her parents' home, the artist completely identifies with the environment and the problems of her fellow citizens. The search for answer to identity is joined by the desire to show a Madagascar full of colors, rich in natural resources and also in poverty. Away from the stereotypes of a dangerous country characterized in the French press, Celia shows the humanity of its people in everyday scenes. The impact of globalization makes established dogmas questioned, as well as old beliefs and traditions.
The work "Yesterday was tough but tomorrow will be better "is presented to us as a reflection of a character closer to the self- portrait. The different angles and blurring of the portrait make up a whole metamorphosis on the path of the search for one's own identity, as if it were a kaleidoscope. Where each environment contributes a new teaching and perspective Coming to look with new eyes. The protagonist here shows nostalgia on her face, hinting at the difficult process of self- knowledge and internal experimentation that she is carrying out.
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Peau d’or
Celia Rakotondrainy
2020, 94 x 80cm, Oil on canvas
The artist's Malagasy origins are the|central theme of her work, a starting point to delve into the construction of cultural identity as a result of a series of collective and not individual experiences. Through her trips to Madagascar to her parents' home, the artist completely identifies with the environment and the problems of her fellow citizens. The search for answer to identity is joined by the desire to show a Madagascar full of colors, rich in natural resources and also in poverty. Away from the stereotypes of a dangerous country characterized in the French press, Celia shows the humanity of its people in everyday scenes. The impact of globalization makes established dogmas questioned, as well as old beliefs and traditions.
‘Peau d’or’ is portrait pf a French Malagasy singer with whom the artist collaborated on filming the entire paintings process live for a song of the same name – “Peau d’or”. The project is in direct response to the movement Black Lives Matter. As mixed raced women, both artists have been on torn between being ‘white’ or ‘black’. Where do they stand? As the singer writes a song about skin colour, Celia paints her portrait beautifully rendering details of her facial expression and skin colour.
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Apres Apres
Sarah Longworth-West
2019, 84 x 60 cm, Oil paint and oil pastel on pigmented gesso panel
In her work, the artist takes us to a dystopian imaginary full of evaporated sensations and diluted colors that make up a dream like perspective w here the protagonists of the works mix with the background. The ambiguity of the figures is framed by the colors of the landscape w here references to specific places are barely existent
Only some objects are objectively represented as collage cutouts that are interspersed with sensations left by memories. In "Apres apres" there are several characteristics that make up the main review of the artist, such as the delimitation of the space of the canvas through parallel lines or the use of neutral colors. It is this superposition of colors that adds layers and textures to the figures represented, giving prominence to the essence of the work itself.
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Bind
Sarah Longworth-West
2019, 60 x 42 cm, Oil paint on pigmented gesso panel
In her work, the artist takes us to a dystopian imaginary full of evaporated sensations and diluted colors that make up a dream like perspective w here the protagonists of the works mix with the background. The ambiguity of the figures is framed by the colors of the landscape w here references to specific places are barely existent.
Only some objects are objectively represented as collage cutouts that are interspersed with sensations left by memories. In her paintings, the artist manages an entire imaginary around a concept and what it represents in different situations. In "Bind" we observe traces of what a chair resembles with what we mentally associate with a confinem ent and lack of freedom. However, the constant juxtaposition of opposites is what makes us reflect beyond the pure concept adding shapes that are reminiscent of mountainous landscapes or flowers wild.
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Covering
Sarah Longworth-West
2019, 84 x 60 cm, Oil paint on pigmented gesso panel
In her work, the artist takes us to a dystopian imaginary full of evaporated sensations and diluted colors that make up a dream like perspective w here the protagonists of the works mix with the background. The ambiguity of the figures is framed by the colors of the landscape w here references to specific places are barely existent.
Only some objects are objectively represented as collage cutouts that are interspersed with sensations left by memories. Opposites are represented by mixing figuration with abstraction. Thus, the dystopia of ‘Covering" shows us a manual and creative process with a literal sample of covering spaces and objects. On the one hand the multiple layers of guesso that the artist applies in her works, and on the other the juxtaposition of different elements, an architecture, some bandages ... exploring meanings and terms beyond the first reflection.
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