project overview
In the Gilded Lily works (I–XIVVI), artist Emma Safir utilized the Digital Print Lab at Powerhouse Arts to UV print photographs directly onto aluminum. She then worked the metal using repoussé—drawing and hammering the material from the reverse side to produce a dimensional relief on its face. The result is a surface that catches light like a mirror while withholding reflections, creating an elusive trick of depth.
The shapes of these works are inspired by Baroque and Rococo mirrors, decorative forms stemming from a historical bastardization of shell and plant life acquired through conquest and European colonialist aspirations. Safir explores their cancerous destabilization of natural forms, resulting in a grotesque decorative beauty that cycles through time. Though captivating, these ornamental forms can also signal the rise of imperialism, as reflected in the Baroque motifs reused in contemporary political aesthetics.
To learn more about Passionate Wretch: https://www.thebica.org/exhibitionsarchive/emma-safir-passionate-wretch
Project Team Members (Powerhouse Arts Staff):
Alondra Acevedo, Dennis Hrehowsik
Materials & Dimensions:
Four UV Prints on aluminum
23 inches x 19 inches each
