‘For Days Unnumbered’ sees Leslie Rice’s trademark black velvet paintings hanging next to Julia deVille’s contemporary memento mori. Her sculptures are created using taxidermy, precious and semi precious gems, metals and antique tableware.
Drawing on Renaissance, Baroque and Victorian art and ideas, deVille’s creatures, all of whom have died of natural causes; live on as beautiful and compelling allegories. DeVille asks us to question our unequal relationship with the animal world and our cavalier disregard for mortality in general.
Rice too, is questioning mortality, and more specifically, eternal life. Like deVille, Rice draws inspiration from the art of the Renaissance and like those who have painted before him, he draws his subject matter from the violence and narratives found in classical subject matter.
Jan Murphy Gallery
Until 17 August, 2013
Queensland
Julia deVille, Victorian Cat Mummy, 2013, cat, glass, Victorian lace, Victorian cape, Victorian baby boots, sterling silver, 15 x 77 x 60cm
Courtesy the artist and Jan Murphy Gallery
