La Cage 2013

Sandra Chevrier made 'La Cage' sometime this century by collaging printed paper onto what seems to be watercolour paper. Look how the collage elements form a mask over the woman's face, obscuring and fragmenting her identity. Patches of comic book imagery replace her skin, creating a layered effect that's both visually striking and conceptually intriguing. The watercolor washes that surround the mask are thin and transparent and bleed into the surface, a nice contrast with the opaque density of the comic book fragments. There’s a dripping effect around the shoulders which pulls your eye downwards and creates a sense of dynamism. It reminds me of Wangechi Mutu's work which also explores themes of identity, and collage. It's a piece that invites endless interpretation, where the interplay between materials and imagery creates a space for contemplation.