We are delighted to present 2 new limited edition prints and one new original by Delphine Lebourgeois. 

Released in January 2017 and available to view at our studio and in forthcoming shows, Delphine says of these new works ... 

Rebel 1 by Delphine Lebourgeois

'I started the “Heroes and Villains” collection after the Bataclan attacks in Paris back in November 2015.

During the following year, I worked on a number of large original drawings tackling the difficult issue of war, with a child at the heart of each image and the question of society's and adults role towards that child.

Some of these images were dark but they were essential and truthful to what I tried to convey. The drawings showed what I wanted to denounce

Gradually, I moved towards more positive grounds and concentrated on the antidote: “Protection”, a theme that has long been running in my work (The Inner Child, Iroquoise etc...).

The Silver Child by Delphine Lebourgeois 

This binary rhythm of danger/protection , war/peace, battle/comfort is the essence of what “pushes” me into drawing. A necessary heartbeat

The images that are released this month are all about empowerment of children... real children but also that part of innocence and freedom we all need to hold on to

There will be more Super girls and Super boys coming out this year, all adorned by adventure, irreverence, cheekiness, and courage!

 Super Girl by Delphine Lebourgeois - original drawing 

New to the gallery this month is Delphine Lebourgeois’ most recent series entitled ‘Smoke’ featuring a combination of prints and originals. Each work features a lone person seemingly enjoying a relaxed moment with a cigarette.

Each piece conveys a different message. Smoke I is a contemporary setting although the woman is heavily tattooed and wearing modern clothing, she is almost submerged in the water with just the cigarette above the water line. In Smoke II - a more surreal feeling is portrayed, where the woman is almost entirely submerged and could be the last cigarette of a condemned woman.

  

The original drawing Smoke III is more carefree, with the girls’ hair swishing freely as she relishes her moment in the sun with her cigarette - seemingly without a care in the world and fearless in her rebellious attitude. 

Smoke IV sees Botticelli referenced, almost as if he is giving two fingers up to the notion that smoking could ever be a bad thing.

The most surreal piece is Smoke V. Delphine has introduced historical characters and an iconic superhero - with the reclining female smoker wearing a mask made of Artemis - the Goddess of hunting - who has fired an arrow at Superman and taken him down out of the sky.

This theme of shooting down superheroes can also be seen in Delphine Lebourgeois' original drawing Bang! Pop! Boom! 

 As with all of the work in the Smoke series, there is a sense of freedom and rebellion running through each piece as well as a tranquillity to the characters' moments alone. Whatever each character maybe thinking is up to the viewer to interpret as is common with most of Delphine Lebourgeois’ work.

 When asked about the depiction  of smoking in the works, Delphine says: “Smoking is an interesting topic nowadays in society, becoming more and more sanitised - we are not far from it turning into the next rebellious thing. For me, it belongs to youth and living the moment.”

The series is available to view. Contact us for further information

Delphine Lebourgeois recently created a new original drawing that was first shown at The Other Art Fair in October 2015. 

This large original drawing is sized at 70 x 100 cm and is a new departure for Delphine - a more 'Pop Art' piece with echos of the work of Henry Darger entitled Bang! Pop! Boom!  

Hand drawn using archival pen and watercolour inks, this piece sees Delphine's female characters killing superheroes, perhaps meaning the killing of performance and speed in order to revert to a childlike state where nothing is hurried and we are free to be ourselves. 

Delphine Lebourgeois always describes her own work as being very instinctive with many of the narratives she explores as being open to interpretation. 

This is a beautiful piece and deserves to be seen in person - for higher value works we make home visits.  

To arrange a viewing please contact Gina Cross : +44 (0) 7950 415422