Tide, 2020

The front cover of a book displays a painted detail of shining hair. Thin layers of oil paint and brushstrokes that seem to dissolve into pixels portray the undulating effect of the curling tongs. The work forms part of a mini-series in which Louise Giovanelli (1993, United Kingdom) zooms in on glamorous subjects such as stage curtains and the waved wigs and shimmering blouses of film stars. Each work sparkles, bringing home to us the transience of the film world, from which it has been taken.

            The delicate, almost luminous works of Giovanelli breathe new life into historical subjects from the canon of Western art. By means of interconnected series Giovanelli weaves together an oeuvre that is close to her heart. Her subjects, which she chooses in the first place for their formal qualities – composition, color, texture – dissolve before our eyes into carefully constructed structures and patterns. For Giovanelli, painting provides a visual slowing-down, and viewing her works seems almost meditative.