leila cartier
DESCRIPTION
An Imaginary Land of Promise December 13 - January 24, 2015TRANSCRIPT
LEILA CARTIER
An Imaginary Land
of Promise
CHRYSANTHEMUMS WITH
SYMMETRY, 2014
Oil on Canvas
62” x 52”
VEIW OF THE GARDEN, 2014
Oil on Canvas
62” x 52”
II “Society of Gardeners: XII
Bouquets of Jewelry“ collage on
paper. 24” x 18”
V "Society of Gardeners: XII
Bouquets of Jewelry" collage on
paper. 24” x 18”
POPPIES 2014
Oil on Canvas
62” x 52”
LILLIPUT 2014
Oil on Canvas
62” x 52”
RHODODENDRON 2014
Oil on Canvas
62” x 52”
VI "Society of Gardeners: XII
Bouquets of Jewelry" collage on
paper. 24” x 18”
VIII "Society of Gardeners: XII
Bouquets of Jewelry" collage on
paper. 24” x 18”
Bouquet, 2014
Oil on Canvas
62” x 52”
VII "Society of Gardeners: XII
Bouquets of Jewelry" collage on
paper. 24” x 18”
III "Society of Gardeners: XII
Bouquets of Jewelry" collage on
paper. 24” x 18”
Still life with Copperhead
Oil on Canvas
30” x 26”
Still life with Spider
Oil on Canvas
30” x 26”
All is Vanity
My paintings have always called upon heightened experiences of nature,
perceptions of beauty, and modern day social constitutions. In recent work,
individual portraits display what can be described as Darwinian manifestations
of embellishment and performance. Paired together in diptychs, these portraits
draw attention to the universal driving forces behind the character, impulses,
and charades of living beings. Many of the non-human subjects in my portraits
are chosen for their grandiose posture, unusually evolved appearance, and
the way these attributes mimic those of their human counterparts. Ultimately,
these paintings fall under the influence of the curiosities, affections, and
melodramas as we know them here on earth. Recently, I have begun a new
body of work where I merge techniques applied in separate past abstract and
representational bodies of work.
These oil paintings are inspired by decadent novel Against Nature by Joris-
Karl Huysmans. In this novel, the main character Des Esseintes has become
disillusioned by modern urban life and escapes to the countryside where he
carefully designs a unique aesthetic environment. This atmosphere is
saturated with rich colors, patterns, and nature, all of which aim to appease his
cynical attitude and desensitized palate. His dissatisfaction with the world and
the people of his past seem exaggerated and border on hallucinatory.
Several images, including the new works on paper, have been based on the
vintage prints and engravings by British Horticulturalist Robert Furber and
American Illustrator Charles Allan Gilbert. The gardenscapes, bouquets, and
portraits that are part of this series are meant to be the distorted visions and
memories of Des Esseintes.
Biography
Leila Cartier grew up amidst the Appalachian Mountai
ns in Abingdon, Virginia. She received a BFA in Art
and Art History at Moore College of Art & Design in Philadelphia,
PA, and spent a year studying at Temple University Rome,
Italy. Her MFA in Painting and Drawing is from the School of the
Art Institute of Chicago, IL During this time she also
studied the Arabic language for two years at nearby DePaul
University.
Cartier is a Jacob K. Javits Fellow and recipient
of the Community Associates of the Art Institute of Chicago
Scholarship. She has exhibited extensively in solo and group
exhibitions and her
work is represented by SchmidtDean Gallery, Philadelphia, and
Mallory Fine Art, Abingdon. She currently lives and works in
her hometown of Abingdon, and has been the curator
of William King Museum of Art since 2009.
INFO:
• SCHMIDT/DEAN GALLERY
• 1719 Chestnut Street
• 4th Floor
• Philadelphia, Pa. 19103
• 215-569-9433
• www.schmidtdean.com
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