Frédérique Morrel Gives New Life To Old Tapestries And Needlepoint In Her Sculptures.

Vintage tapestries become 'skin' for people, animals, trophy heads and even homewares in the laboriously beautiful work of Frédérique Morrel. A self-proclaimed latex, leather and fur lover, she has given old tapestries new life as integral parts of her sculptures.

Tapestries of all styles; erotic, kitschy and traditional, blend harmoniously and conceptually to add texture and narrative to the artist's free standing and wall mounted sculptures of deer, horses, unicorns, foxes, rabbits, dogs and the human figure.



above: Rembrandt, Bambi and Ma Biche from her Visitors and Passe-Murailles series.

She has three series of these sculptures. The Visitors consist of life sized animals covered in vintage tapestry and needlpoint and accented with real antlers, horns and hooves. Her Passe-Murailles are wall mounted trophy heads and G.Host are life sized human figures.

She starts with fiberglass molds injected with expanding foam, reinforces them with steel rods and hand applies the vintage "found" tapestries to the forms. The results are unusual and compelling pieces of art.

G.Host series

Eva, profile:

Eva, front:

Tony (front and back) and Eva:

Tony:

Tony, detail:


Three views of Diana:


Diana, detail:

Diana, back detail:

Legs:


All the pieces are made by hand in France by Frédérique, whose husband Aaron serves as the brand's artistic director.


above: artist Frederique Morrel and Damien

Frederique, husband Aaron Levin and their three boys:

Their adorable Jack Rusells, Maggie and Godard:

All photos by Philippe Cluzeau

Be sure to see Frederique Morrel's Visitors and Passe-Murailles series here.

Seeing Skulls. James Hopkins' Vanitas.

above: James Hopkins, Decadence and Demise, 2006 (image courtesy of hamburger-kunsthalle)

Skulls, skulls, skulls. They are everywhere these days. But Artist James Hopkins at least has a diference take on them. He has a series of mixed media pieces called Vanitas in which random objects and furniture are composed to create the image or illusion of human skulls.

The term "Vanitas" (sometimes the term "Momento Mori" is used in its place) comes from a practice in which Dutch painters put symbolic imagery of death into their still lives during the 17th century.


above: Last Chord, James Hopkins

Hopkins has created a contemporary version of the practice and is quoted in a Wallpaper Magazine interview in 2006 as saying: ‘I think of vanity when I see my image in the mirror, of knowledge when I read a book, and of indulgence when I drink wine or play music; but all of these things are lost in acknowledgment of seeing the skull reveal itself.’

Black Still Life, 2007 and Consumption & Consequence, 2006:

Design for Life, 2006 and Prosperity & Decay, 2006:

Wasted Youth, 2006 and Shelf Life, 2006:


However, says Hopkins, ‘I don’t want people to think of these works as being negative or morbid — in fact, they should be read as a celebration of life.’

In addition to this work, John Hopkins has many wonderful pieces. See more of his work here.


Another collection inspired by the Dutch "Vanitas", if you have not yet seen it, is the chair, ottoman and lamp by Vladi Rapoport: