HYBRIDS
“Hybrids” is Jeanne Tara’s (*1994 Ambilly) first solo show in Italy. Bringing forward her interest in the use of applied arts in architecture and public space and their role in the illustration and transmission of moral codes, Tara reinterprets various scenes of the Hero’s victory over the Monster, questioning the notion of monstrosity and how the symbolism of these creatures has been used in the arts and architecture, from antiquity until nowadays.
She focuses her research on notions of borders, authority, and power over bodies in public space, investigated through the prism of architecture.
Combining oil paintings with metal and wax sculptures, Hybrids departs from the study of mythological, therianthropic, and mostly feminine figures (like Medusa, Sphinx, and Chimera) which have influenced Western morality so far. They all represent a threat to humans and their murder constitutes a crucial step in the consecration of the male Hero and of his supremacy not just over Nature and its creatures, but also on his animal part.
Bringing forward her interest in the use of applied arts in architecture and public space and their role in the illustration and transmission of moral codes, Tara reinterprets various scenes of the Hero’s victory over the Monster, questioning the notion of monstrosity and how the symbolism of these creatures has been used in the arts and architecture, from antiquity until nowadays.
More precisely, the paintings refer to historical monuments, depicting battle scenes between heroes and monster figures, and portraying domination and virility through statuary. The metal sculptures also evoke a form of hybridity. They take up classic patterns found in ornamental ironwork and zoomorphic references. The asymmetry and play on scale disrupt the perception of the forms represented and challenge architectural norms. Through the dialogue between paintings and sculptures, Tara creates an immersive installation, in which the relation between viewers’ bodies and the space is questioned and investigated.
