Mariane Ibrahim is delighted to present In the Realm of Love, featuring new works by M. Florine Démosthène. The exhibition in Paris marks the artist’s first solo show in Europe, on view from March 9 to April 16, 2022.
Across a series of figurative collages and small sculptures, Démosthène traverses a viewer through the kingdom of love. Within this new series, she is interested in how the African concept of love manifests and whether it exists in the confines of what love is now. The work emerges from the artists contemplation of conversations she has had while living and working in Ghana.
Since most aspects of African spirituality and sacred science manifests in the shrine, Démosthène investigates the conflict between the traditional, ethereal, western, and contemporary ideas of love. The textural mélange of ink, mylar and glitter incorporates aspects of this internal conflict through the portrayal of ‘lily pad watchers’ (a direct relation to the cherubim in Renaissance paintings) and the depiction of discarded fetish objects.
The sculptures, a recent addition to Démosthène’s dossier of work, reference shrinal objects of the Fon (Bénin) and the Aŋlɔ Eʋeawó (Ghana). These mix media three-dimensional pieces serve as quasi-divination tools.
Typically employing a limited color palette of cool subtle hues of greens and blues, Démosthène has expanded her use of color for this exhibition. The brightness of yellows and oranges pervades in the works, as well as her unique use of glitter and shimmer materials.
In a world where love has been shaped by traditions, In the Realm of Love, takes M. Florine Démosthène’s otherworldly figures as companions on an imaginary journey through the domain of love.
