“The Emperor’s New Nose”, an exhibition by Diana Bidwill

This month, Backspace Gallery is very pleased to host “The Emperor’s New Nose”, a return show by Martinborough’s Diana Bidwill, whose exhibition last November kicked off this new incarnation of the space behind Thrive. If you attended the fundraising Contemporary Art Auction in May you will have had a preview of her new work, with Diana donating two pieces to be auctioned for the cause.

In the show, you’ll find profile portraits in the style of old Victorian paper cut portraits, juxtaposing subjects for a contemporary twist, as well as new takes on old military portraits and profiles, and more. The work on the exhibition poster references the painting ‘Napoleon crossing the Alps’, by Jacques-Louis David, painted in the early 1800’s, and the title ‘The Emperor’s New Nose’ refers to the ‘spin’ central to this work- the original is an image carefully crafted to create an impression, but is not an accurate portrayal of events – during the real crossing, Napoleon reputedly rode a donkey.

She has been evolving a body of work throwing the old and new together, playing on the use of old images and found objects, formal contexts and informal mediums. This exhibition is a journey through her three current series – all using silhouette forms and exploring spray paint as a medium – spraying and masking through found objects and local flora.

Diana says “Through the series as they have developed, I’ve been interested in the juxtaposition between the tight, hard cut lines of the stencil/masking, and the loose, random and very free form nature of the spray paint. Every work is considered, and crafted, yet there is a complete randomness only uncovered when I peel the final masking away”.