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Mange opdager ikke lige med det samme, at der faktisk er en kvindefigur gengivet i dette maleri (140 x 200 cm) fra 2009. Men hun er der – svagt anes konturerne af Simone i venstre side af det to-delte værk – stående afslappet med begge hænder over hovedet.
Hvem er Simone? Hende her hedder de Beauvoir til efternavn – den berømte franske forfatter, feminist og filosof (1908-1986). Malet efter et gammelt gulnet avisudklip fra Politiken, som jeg har haft hængende på værkstedet i årevis. Et poetisk fotografi taget i Chicago 1950 af Art Shay – få øjeblikke efter at Simone er stået ud af badet og er ved at sætte sit hår. “Naughty man,” sagde Simone, da hun hørte klik-lyden fra Shays Leica kamera.
I begyndelsen var hun slet ikke en del af motivet, men dukkede lige pludselig op – som det fremgår af den lille serie fotos fra processen viser (herunder). Først som en ret tydelig skikkelse – men måske var det blufærdigheden ved at kigge ind i et helt privat øjeblik hos en smuk og stærk kvinde, der fik mig til at tone figuren så langt ned, at hun næsten forsvinder under de mange lag maling? –pryds
Some people don’t see her right away, the woman pictured in this painting (140 x 200 cm) from 2009. But, she is there – her silhouette is barely visible in the left half of this diptycon – Simone standing in a relaxed pose with her hands above her head.
But who is she? This Simone’s last name was de Beauvoir – the famous French writer, feminist and philosopher (1908-1986). Painted after an old, yellowed newspaper clipping from Politiken, which has been sitting on my wall in the studio for years. A very poetic photo taken in Chicago in 1950 by Art Shay – only a few moments after Simone had stepped out from the bath and had begun setting her hair. “Naughty man,” said Simone, when she heard the click from the shutter in Shay’s Leica camera.
Initially, she was not even part of this painting, but showed up suddenly – as shown in the small series of photos from the process. At first more visisble, but perhaps a sense of modesty (we’re looking at a very naked, very beautiful and very strong woman in a very private situation) that made me fade her body so much that she nearly disappears under layers of paint? –pryds