The Enlightened Despot (Medalion IV)I think I've spent half of this summer hanging out in the backyard of LaViola Bank Gallery, and this Thursday will be no exception. Their Summer Salon show will be opening from 6-9pm, featuring works from a number of their artists, including my friend Maj Anya De Bear. One of the subjects that Maj Anya (pronounced Maya) has recently been focusing on is Napoleon, as well as other figures from his era, using mediums that are often sentimental feeling. For example, for the upcoming show she has constructed an oversized snowglobe depicting the tiny despot in retreat from Moscow. Still, my favorite pieces are the sparkling sequined portraits that Maj Anya laboriously hands sews, which might recall needlepoint crafts, but immediately reveal themselves to be slightly more menacing. With each tender portrayal of Napoleon, as well as his coeval comrades of pouting despots and fallen soldiers, we are reminded that sparkly surfaces are still merely surfaces. In spite of the vainglorious imagery, we all know the true fate of the would-be-emperor of Europe, living the last days of his life alone and in exile on the island of Saint Helena. I can't wait to see all of the pieces in person, and if you're in New York, you should make sure to stop by the opening.
The Little Jacobin (Medallion VII)
Medallion III
The Little Corporal (Medallion VI)
The Interceptor (Medallion V)-Tiffany
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