Картины Хайди Тейллефер (Heidi Taillefer)

Heidi Taillefer  Человек + техника = ?  Сюрреалистическая живопись Heidi Taillefer  По  отношению  к  картинам  канадской  художницы  Heidi  Taillefer  невозможно испытывать однозначные чувства: ее работы вызывают и ужас,  местами  даже  отвращение,  но  при  этом  полностью  захватывают  зрителя,  и  тот  уже  не  может  оторваться  от  пристального  изучения  их  мельчайших  деталей…  Как заявлено на официальном сайте художницы, «картины Heidi Taillefer  –  это  оригинальный  творческий  сплав  классического  рисования,  сюрреализма,  современного  реализма  и  мифологии,  объединяющей  популярные  метафорические  традиции  от  времен  Викторианского  романтизма  до  научной  фантастики  наших  дней.  Ее  работы  созвучны  произведениям  сюрреалистов  начала  20  века,  таким  как  Макс  Эрнст  и  Джорджо де Кирико».  Картины Heidi Taillefer представляют собой фантастические ансамбли из  частей  тел  человека  и  животных,  пружин,  лампочек,  антикварных  часовых  механизмов…  Сама  художница  находит  технический  прогресс  «захватывающим»  и  утверждает,  что  человечество  «стоит  на  пороге  неизбежного слияния с техникой».  Но в то же время в ее работах чувствуется  какая‐то двойственность и неоднозначность, а не сплошной восторг.  В  своих  картинах  художница  старается  объединить  первобытную  человеческую  сущность  и  стремительную  экспансию  техники  как  новую  парадигму,  которая  уже  маячит  на  горизонте  и  обещает  пересмотр  содержания  того,  что  значит  быть  человеком.  Вместе  с  этим  Heidi  Taillefer  утверждает,  что  ее  работы  не  несут  в  себе  никакого  послания  –  по  крайней  мере,  она  не  создавала  их  в  таком  качестве.  Картины  художницы  –  это  изображение  ее  собственного  жизненного  опыта,  ее  мыслей  и  чувств.  А  то,  что кто‐то видит в них социальные, политические или моральные сообщения  – это лишь случай счастливого совпадения и ничего больше.  Heidi  Taillefer  родилась  в  Монреале  (Канада)  и  начала  рисовать  уже  в  возрасте  трех  лет.  После  окончания  McGill  University  стала  довольно  известной художницей, чьи выставки регулярно проходят в США. 

Ligozzi This work was produced on an Infiniti G37. It was commissioned by Infiniti through the agency of the Cirque du Soleil, in a joint venture to celebrate each of their landmark anniversaries. The title "Ligozzi" comes from Jiacopo Ligozzi, a Florentine renaissance artist working for the Medici family during the height of the Italian renaissance. He produced macabre drawings which seemed progressive for their time, depicting creatures in skeletal form surrounded by traditional and ornate decorative elements. The car is divided in two sections, organic above and mechanical on the bottom, and symbolizes harmony between disparate parts.  

Angels of our Nature "Angels of our Nature" concerns our dual nature, both our dark side and the good. As individuals we are our own worst enemies, and the vitriol we occasionally or often feel usually recoils in our own heads and hearts. As prisoners of our complexities, we are here to burn off all impurities as the dross is burned off of gold. The clap and sting of painful experience can hinder or help the individual, as what does'nt kill you makes you either stranger or stronger, and can hopefully expedite the light. The figure in the painting wears a helmet which masks its true nature, and links it to a more base and earthly egoism. In this state it breathes the frustrations and torments of life, shown as brainless and heartless stinging jellyfish. They float randomly, but are caught in the draft and carried into the fire where they emerge purified and are transformed into doves. It is the higher consciousness which recognizes that it is ultimately a choice, and emerging from the helmet are lotus pods which release awareness in the form of eyes. These float up toward purity, or sink down into darkness and pain, only to be forced back into the cycle again.  

Govinda and the Heiffer Nymph The painting Govinda and the Heiffer Nymph is a depiction of Krishna walking placidly through a jain temple. To explain his significance, in Hinduism and Indian mythology, Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva make up the holy trinity underneath the Godhead (much like the Christian trinity of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost). Respectively they are the Creator, Preserver, and Destroyer of the universe. Krishna (the Supreme Lord) is the eighth avatar or reincarnation of the god Vishnu (Preserver of the World) and thus associated with infinity. He is therefore represented by the color blue which symbolizes the expanse of the oceans and heavens. The name "Govinda" is a pseudonym of Krishna, meaning cowheard, as Krishna was raised as a peasant child in order to save his life. In the painting "Govinda and the Heiffer Nymph", Krishna is represented in the form of his favorite childhood cow. The arms which form the body of the cow symbolize the many Gopis (milkmaids) he seduced during his playful and mischievious years as a youth. The Gopis are often considered expansions of His own internal energies, and they release doves calling for peace and love, which represent his bravery in destroying evil powers throughout his life.  

The Ventriloquist The Ventriloquist is a painting about the destruction of innocence through judgment, slander, physical and or mental cruelty, wrought by the callousness of blackened hearts. It depicts the Marquis de Sade, whose light has been extinguished by the cruelty of others, and who foists his own misery onto the innocent and vulnerable, which appear in bright mocking comparison to his own tormented soul. The Marquis does not have any grounding, none of his darkness has any authentic quality, and he floats off the ground bereft of proper bearings. There is a recursive aspect to this dynamic, which perpetuates the cycle of darkness, where the light of love and compassion is extinguished in another, who in turn learns to be afraid. The Marquis’ motivation is hatred, and his pain self inflicted, as he carries the needles of judgment in his stomach and projects his own self-loathing onto others, whom he preys upon out of fear.  

Hemoglobin This piece is in reference to advances in biotechnology, where nanotechnology promises the possibility of a jump in the evolution of human intelligence, merging artificial intelligence aids with the human animal. The advent of molecular robots controlled via chemical stimulus is not far off on the horizon, promising everything from pinpoint treatments to fight specific diseases, to enhancing the brain's natural capacities.  

The Pelican and the Vampire The image of the Pelican and the Vampire is an ancient Christian symbol of unconditional love. Appearing throughout the middle ages especially, it was thought that pelican mothers fed their young blood from their chest which they tore open with their beaks. This misconception grew out of watching pelican babies reach their beaks far into the their mothers' throat, which she she would hold close to her chest. It is a representation of Christ's ultimate love and understanding towards his fellow man.  

The Wolves of Prejudice This image is a reflection of the viciousness inherent in attacking those set apart from the norm through the lottery of birth. The wolves of prejudice speak for themselves, venting their hatred towards marginalized individuals who become subject to the tyranny of the group. The darker side of humanity despises weakness, inadequacy, or disqualification from the norm, and is quick to punish those who fail to meet the required standards. Those saddled with disabilities and difference are in fact gifts who challenge us to access our deepest humanity, serving an essential purpose in the evolution of a sane and healthy society.  

Dying Black Swan A black swan is a euphemism for a sudden and unexpected disaster which seems to strike from out of nowhere. In this image, it is the swan itself that meets a deadly fate, signaling an end to the chaos and destruction that usually follow in its wake.  

The Most Proximate Cause The Most Proximate Cause is an image of Damocles, and is an exploration of empathy, or in putting oneself in another's place to gain a grasp of their experience. Damocles was an envious courtier of the King, who seemed to have all the power and wealth anyone could wish for. He was eventually offered the chance to trade places with the King in order to taste such fortune. Once in King's place, possessed with unlimited power and surrounded by beautiful servants and an endless banquet of food and luxury, he noticed a sword dangling precariously above his head, held only by a thin horses' hair, whereby any move could seal his fate and bring on sudden disaster. The story is used to denote the sense of delicacy and foreboding engendered by situations which seem desirable by all outward appearances, but where the onset of tragedy can be brought on by a delicate trigger or chance.  

Auto Erotic Immolation Auto Erotic Immolation is an image of a sati, or hindu woman who traditionally throws herself on her husbands funeral pyre, and is a depiction of personal transformation through the destruction of the former self (in this instance through the tantric principle of erotic pursuits).  

Resurrection Of An Angel Resurrection of an Angel is a painting of the unattainable woman. Leading men astray, all is carelessly abandoned in the obsessive pursuit of what is ultimately an illusion. It's ghostly apparition is made up of moths which disperse once the light that binds it has gone out. It is an impossible mirage, ephemeral and fleeting, attempting to distract but failing to manifest in actual form, whose incarnation only ever disappears.  

The Muse The Muse is woman in all her myriad forms, be they beautiful, good, mediocre, sordid or rank. She lies on the ground looking back flirtatiously at a small child on a rocking horse, who cries in frustration at the sight before him. In spite of all her complexity, having aspects both desirable and repellant, the boy is inspired by her, and drawn to her almost against his will. This desire is of an adult nature, although stemming from the fundamental need for intimacy which harkens back to childhood. He is stuck however, frozen emotionally and prevented from reaching the very thing he needs the most.  

Man's World Man’s World is a protrait of Wu Zei Tan, the notorious Chinese empress who ruled China during the 7th century. As one of the emperors more favored concubines, she moved up the ranks in ruthless fashion, even committing infanticide and framing a rival woman to oust her competition. After the emperor died without a successor, she became empress of China, a crime against the state which pas punishable by death. In order to maintain her power she was ruthless in the extreme, in a world dominated entirely by men. Her pose in strong, intelligent, and defiant to the end amidst a storm of chaos thrown, which she withstands in spite of her naked vulnerability.  

I put a Spell on You I put a Spell on You is a painting of the Marquis de Sade, shown here as a genderbending Libertine. Romance and seduction are loaded with power struggles, mind games, and control tactics, all of which create a torturous interplay of pleasure and pain, reward and punishment. This reinforcing principle enmeshes lovers in a toxic dynamic , who find themselves addicted to the intensity of the drama.  

Complicated Shadows “Virtue, however beautiful, becomes the worst of all attributes when it is found too weak to contend with Vice, and that, in an entirely corrupted age, the safest course is to follow along after the others”. (Marquis de Sade)

Complicated Shadows is a painting which examines how moral principles may upon times become a prison unto themselves; for example, when too good becomes no good. The Satyr symbolizes temptation and the guilty pleasures of sin, as a bizarre foetus lays in her womb and is the fruit of wrongful indulgence. Though lacking in purity of origin, the mother and child image acts as a symbol of love and nurturing, while the scapegoat off in the distance is a token attempt at salvaging that which has long since run afoul. Vice challenges Virtue, forcing Virtue to adopt Vice in order to prevail, in a complicated balance of competing forces.  

Sneaky Work At The Crossroads Sneaky Work at the Crossroads is Eve at the height of transgression, as she partakes of the forbidden fruit. Cast out of the Paradise of unity, simplicity, and unselfconsciousness, her rampant indulgence reinforces the fundamental challenge of the nature of our being. She represents the creation of dualities, casting the ego on the stage, and making of the human condition, a fractured world in which we identify ourselves through opposites, such as light vs dark, or good vs evil, etc... from which we must find our way back to unity and purity.  

Frustration Attraction Frustration Attraction is a painting which depicts Salome holding the head of John the Baptist in her hands. Despite her longing for him, he remained unattainable due to a conflict of ideological principles. The only way she could satisfy her desire was to have his head brought to her on a platter, where she could finally kiss her would- be lover’s lips. The painting is about unrequited and courtly love, where distance increases desire... but where its object is also destroyed upon satisfaction of that desire. Chimeric The Chimera is a symbol of wrathful feminine character, according to the ancient Greeks. It is a mythic creature representing the mercurial nature of woman, and consists of a firebreathing lion, with a goat emerging from its back, and a serpent for a tail. In this painting the effect of the creature's terrible form is softened with humor and made more benign, lending some benefit of the doubt to those poor ancient greek women. Nothing And Yet Nothing and Yet depicts a Golden Calf, which was an image often worshiped by the ancient Sumerians. As a modern symbol it is a false idol, and represents the dead-end pursuit of pure illusion. It is a false god, and highlights the emptiness of pursuing what was once seemingly real in love and desirability, but which turns out to be an illusion. For all its material and aesthetic appeal, the core value is absent, and yet an underlying attraction remains. Bemoaning the Loss of Limbo Bemoaning the loss of Limbo is part of a series on turn of the century Valentines. Cupid holds a leaden arrow, symbolizing the loss of love, and removes all peace of mind before

the arrival of love, or it’s departure. The Worm Forgives the Plow The Worm Forgives the Plow symbolizes the pursuit of a dream in spite of the costs. At one time, to "reach for the brass ring" was a carnival game where carousel riders would lean precariously over their horses, in an effort to retrieve a brass ring hung off to the side with a stick. In today's sense, it is the pursuit of any risky endeavor where the promise of reward outweighs the risks involved. Reaching for the brass ring is, in a sense, a metaphor for creativity, and implies leaving the known confines of safety. From a survival standpoint, this is totally counter intuitive and would suggest some form of madness. Those mavericks daring enough to be truly different may be considered a bit "touched" in the head, but they are the champions of innovation, the very thing which separates us from other animals. And so continues civilizations' forward lurch, where daring trailblazers throw caution to the wind and test the boundaries in spite of the cost, so that the rest can feel safe and secure in an even larger swath of known quantity.  

Some Pig Some Pig is an image of Wilbur, from the childrens’ book Charlottes Web. The story is of a tiny pig whose life is saved by the clever intelligence and heart of a spider, named Charlotte. She weaves words of praise ("Some pig!") into her web in the doorway of Wilbur’s pen, earning him special status which ultimately saves his life.  

Pyrophoric Pyrophoric represents the breaking point in an individual, the pinnacle of delirium and seeming "point of no return" triggered suddenly and unexpectedly. It is an expression of the tremendous force of confusion and fear in a terrified individual, caught in the grip of madness.  

Detritus Of Devotion Detritus of Devotion is a painting about the violence and hatred caused by religious intolerance, and the wars it has ignited throughout the ages. The angel descending is Religion personified, made of elements symbolizing the worlds three largest monotheistic religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. As cousins of each other, they revolve around a commonly shared ancestor, Abraham, represented by the goat that was slaughtered in place of his son. Religion is composed of various iconographies, as well rats and military ordinance, representing the destruction and decay brought fourth out of ideological discord. The woman lying dead on the ground is Peace, who has been slain by Religion in all its fury. She is distinguishable by the olive-branch crown and twig which she possesses, as well as the barren cornucopia once filled with the fruit of happiness. The setting is middle-eastern from whence developed all three faiths, representing the cradle of civilization. Set before the city of Jerusalem, innocent children of all three faiths weep and mourn the death of Peace, while a procession of crusaders moves past Arab soldiers in the distance, and the four horsemen of the Apocalypse ride ahead of the oncoming wrath of God. Sundown On The Savannah The image focuses on the destructive impact of human activity on natural ecosystems and the environment as a whole. The elephant appears at first to be nothing more than a rusted car wreck, and is comprised of the refuse of human activity. It encompasses the ever-increasing problem of human encroachment upon wildlife habitat, and the destruction of the environment as a whole. Venus Envy The painting “Venus Envy” is a work emphasizing the beauty and potency of women and motherhood. The name “Venus Envy” is a play on words of the Freudian “Penis Envy”, and implies the enviable female advantage of being the carrier of new life. With the predominance of taboos and limitations against women in so many cultures throughout the world, the piece exposes with pride and irreverence, female characteristics, whether beautiful or unsettling. It is an attempt to absolve women of their generally complex nature, and free them from harsh social standards foisted upon their physical, social, and spiritual selves. It also explores the sensuality of pregnancy, and the mystical and intimidating power with which it was once regarded. Full Frontal Leda The painting Full Frontal Leda is an interpretation of the classic Greek myth of Leda and the swan. The myth describes the story of the god Zeus, who falls in love with a mortal woman named Leda. Although she rejects his lustful advances, Zeus, after transforming himself into a swan, finally manages to seduce her. She thus becomes impregnated and lays an egg (which never strikes her husband as bizarre, oddly enough), thus giving birth to Bacchus, the god of Wine and good times, and so it goes on, all throughout the classical Greek pantheon. The event is depicted here in its most explicit form, in contrast to the traditional, more subtle versions. The hands of which Leda is made are designed to enhance the raw sensuality of the act, la thé while underlining the the blatant manipulation involved.