Viewing room

Prélude

Delphine Lebourgeois

Jealous North

30 Jan 2019 — 17 Feb 2019

Working in various mediums, the French artist and illustrator Delphine Lebourgeois draws inspiration from a range of stylisMc sources.

By combining both contemporary and classical, and mixing symbols and cultural references in a playful and sometimes irreverent way, there is a duality in her drawings. Lebourgeois’ multidisciplinary approach during the creative and developmental process reveal the depth of meaning in her illustrations, which on the surface present a sense of fun, play and sexuality.

By exhibitinng Lebourgeois’ working drawings, Prélude will allow viewers to examine her practise, in which she uses line drawings as a form of enquiry to explore her initial ideas. Through her experimentation, Lebourgeois successfully infuses her sense of self and her understanding of feminine strength and beauty.

Delphine Lebourgeois

UK Based Artist

Delphine Lebourgeois studied Fine Art in Lyon then went on to complete a Masters in Illustration at Central St Martins in 2005. She works in various medium including digital, collage, pencil, pen, ink, watercolour and screenprint with drawing at the core of her practice.

Recent works draw from various stylistic sources (ranging from Botticelli to comics) mixing symbols and cultural references in a playful and sometimes irreverent way. Since 2010, the main focus of her work has been to explore the relation that can occur between a group and an individual. Whether the group is protective or, on the contrary menacing and harmful, Lebourgeois tells stories via precise scenarios that explore the realm of power relations whilst questioning Illustrative and Fine Art traditions. In her latest collections "Heroes and Villains" and "Funny Games", she tells stories about vulnerability and disillusion, but also – like an antidote - rebellion and empowerment.

Delphine Lebourgeois was the winner of the Images 29 Critics Award. She has collaborated with major newspapers including The New Yorker, the Guardian, L'Obs and Le Monde. In 2016, Amnesty International selected her image "Prisoners" for the exhibition "People on the Move" in Miami. Her work is shown internationally including in Europe, New York, Hong Kong and Singapore.