Circled Chocolate

Chocolats Fins de Villars (Fribourg, Suisse)

Circular [printed] Paper ‘bonbons’ Box

circa 1950s

     Intimate, picturesque and, in some sense, consoling. Pairing the aspect of water with that of a round shape may elude to the way in which ripples affect perception. Soothing in their fluidity, they can redefine and animate the features of an object; they designate themselves as ever-changing windows into a reality within a reality, making the observer see a three-dimensional space ‘through’ an ephemeral, two-dimensional plane. The vignette crowning this boîte illustrates a sage clay-roofed home partially sheltered by a thick clove of trees, which in turn look out upon a lake whose peaceable waters are lazily grazed by no more than an oar, a sluggish boat and perhaps the lurkings of a few sly fish and drafts. But equally blanketing this ambiance is a hint of nostalgia, nameless and unseen. Like the force of that which causes the birth of a ripple (something which, after making contact with the water’s surface, nearly always disappears from view), this unnamed nostalgia may also have served as the force from which this watercolour was born. What we, the audience, may perceive as familiar and comforting, let alone idyllic, varies among us slightly, like the way a disturbance in clear water may distill a handful of distortions reflecting one thing. Unlike the chocolats fins (which likely vanished instantly), it is no wonder that this nostalgic force chooses to remain, over sixty years since its printing, happily forlorn within its circular confines, never to set off beyond its gilt rim.

Ulyana Sergeenko

(by?) Ulyana Sergeenko 

Brocaded Coat

2010 (?)

     A masterwork of embroidered finery, this floor-length robe resembles the fiery hide of a predatory beast, beautifully formidable and dangerous. Every one of its threads undulates and slithers in unison with the steady prowling of its mistress, as does each hair lining the fur of a calculating lynx or leopardess. As a work of art, its energy lies in its bold proclamation of presence rather than in a sly, survivalist mimicry of its surroundings, an ability which this robe proudly lacks. Its will to live (or indeed, its method of hunt) uses this energy of personal aesthetics to pacify any reservations or doubts felt by its audience (its prey). It draws in its victims under the false pretences of innocent charm; it toys with their weakness to want a little bit more, to see what lays beneath the décor. This coat trickily plays a game tailored to its own advantage, engrossing all who pause in its shadow - savagely slaying all who melt in its wake.

Paul Poiret

Paul Poiret

Carte Postale for la Poudre de Rosine (published by Robaudy)

circa 1920

     Crouched like flamboyant birds of prey, these exquisite fabric-covered creatures exist to elegantly cup trays of blush power. Their thick-stringed, tasselled headpieces permit one’s fingers to slide off the domed (and ‘pillbox’) hats with smooth sophistication, allowing minimal contact with the headpieces themselves. Snuggled within, the lidded trays, cylindrical and cool-coloured, face upwards - rather as a nesting chick greeting its parents, eager for attention. Raised on a slight pedestal, each is appropriated an importance like an artefact within a museum. Its focus is emphasised through the relationship of its placement, the aesthetics of its display case and the strength of its visual vernacular. The latter point is likely this trio’s strongest aspect: each in its own way lures in the lingering eye with its high-strung mesh of popping, tightly-spun colour. A kind of kaleidoscopic effect tunes in one’s vision, delicately reeling the observer nearer and nearer with its swirling, hypnotising pattern. Camouflaged to entice, Poiret’s creatures are both crafty and cunning, set on using their instinctual call to harness as many powder-hungry joues as possible to their will.