Hand painted Wall Panels
Gesso and Egg tempera on Paper
Banqueting hall, Schloss Benrath / Dueseldorf, Germany
2001-2002
Meandering tendrilsevoke the graceful curves and twists of the Rococo style, an apt choice for aroom in this “maison de plaisance” completed in 1770. Evocative of theplayfulness of 18-century Chinoiserie, the foliage becomes thestage for a series of mischievous tableaus.
But instead ofcuriously-dressed Chinamen and exotic dragons, close inspection reveals awhimsical menagerie including monkeys, birds and even caterpillars engaged inmysterious, enigmatic acts. Though inspired by the exotic taste of a pastcentury, the detail reveals a slightly menacing edge and a modern sensibility.