Box Cabinets
These detailed painted wooden cabinets, with images appropriated from a selection of historical portraits of women, dating from 1445 to 1846, are part of my research into celebrity status from the past.
“The painted frame and wood effects are executed with detailed accuracy creating tromp-l’oeil illusions. Inside each cabinet, there is a surprise: yet another painting is housed. These suggest different layers of significance, encouraging the viewer to contemplate the link with celebrity culture from the past. What is the secret behind celebrity status? When does a celebrity become an icon? The cabinets show how a classical portrait of a historical celebrity can incorporate a contemporary aesthetic, creating a unique work of art”.
