Review of The Green Leaf Art Exhibition & Book by Mariette Perrinjaquet-Spertini
Mariette Perrinjaquet-Spertini is a Swiss born artist who has lived and worked in Australia since 1961. She is currently exhibiting at Chapel on Station Gallery in Box Hill (cnr Station St & Ellingworth Pde. Phone 98905810.) The exhibition features Mariette's signature 'lyrical' driftwood and fibre sculptures and framed original illustrations of her book, The Green Leaf/La Feuille Verte. The book and the driftwood sculptures are for sale, but the original illustrations are not.
La Feuille Verte/The Green Leaf is a bi-lingual production about a dystopia where humans have become alienated from their organic origins. Sound familiar? Mariette has created characters of a deceptive simplicity. She uses the metaphore of trees and cages to describe the life force, the brain and caged, regimented minds.
Originally written in words for her children and friends, years later it occurred to Mariette to illustrate that story. She says that the drawings were quite quickly executed, but that it took her years to reduce the written story to the sparse narrative that remains. That was the hardest part for her.
"The writing is only necessary for those who don't understand the pictures without explanation," she says. In fact working out what the pictures mean is part of the pleasure of the exhibition.
The illustrations are finely executed in very soft earthy pastel tones of coloured pencil and ink. They are lightly stylised.
The book, The Green Leaf/La Feuille Verte sells for $20.00 at the exhibition and is also available from (613)98981304 if you are ringing from overseas or 03 98981304 if you are in Australia. Inquiries from individuals and booksellers welcome.
Details of Gallery location and hours:
Chapel on Station Gallery
cnr Station St & Ellingworth Pde
Box Hill Vic 3128
Ph 9890 5810
Hours : Tues-Fri 11:30-3:00
Sat 1:00-4:00
Sun 4:30-7:00
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