Eugenie
Eugenie
Eugenie (Janet Leigh) Archival pigment inks and screenprint with with silver ink and spot varnishes on Somerset fine art paper with torn edges
100cm x 70cm
Signed and numbered limited edition of 60
Unframed
Framed 80cm x 110cm
‘Eugenie’ depicts ‘Psycho’ star Janet Leigh, her indigo eyes and dusky pink lips picked out from the vintage photograph. A glamorous, off-the-shoulder collar is crafted from moth wings and watch fobs, gesturing towards our delicate relationship with time as a man-made model. As if in contrast to the highly-wrought human construct, Eugenie’s headdress offers a fanatical realm of the imaginary, brimming with vibrant flora and fauna, glittering chandeliers, exotic fruits, and beautiful beasts. Yet, like any Eden, Rivans has peppered the garland with ominous undertones: a Pandora’s box is waiting to be opened and a symbolic serpent wraps itself around a leafy branch - a reminder of the two sides of life’s luminous coin.
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liberty-gallery.com
Maria Rivans is a contemporary British artist, known for her mash- up of Surrealism meets Pop-Art aesthetic.
Rivans studied 3D design at the University of Brighton. Growing up with her Italian family, hours of her childhood were devoted to drawing and doodling, while she soaked up the televisual culture that would come to form her greatest influence.
The artists who have defined Rivans’ work include: Max Ernst; Robert Rauschenberg; Richard Hamilton; Sarah Lucas; and Tracey Emin as well as David Bowie; Vivienne Westwood; Alfred Hitchcock; and David Lynch.
Rivans’ artwork is known for its unique approach to collaging. Intertwining different film and TV genres, Rivans’ work reinvents existing film plots and narratives, to spin bizarre and dreamlike tales.
Her process begins with her collection of vintage ephemera, which she collates and assembles with an intense attention to detail until the collage takes shape. Her work takes the form of large-scale originals and limited edition prints, and notable series have included: pin-ups; landscapes; film stills; and 3D box collages.
Maria works from her studio in Brighton. She exhibits work throughout the UK as well as internationally, including Hong Kong, New York and across Europe. Solo shows include the Saatchi Gallery, London, and Galerie Bhak, Seoul.