Acrylic, pastel, ceramic paint on canvas.

Description

La réalité frappant de son aile, le singe alchimiste refers to the depiction of monkeys in seventeenth-century Netherlandish art. Monkeys were often depicted in alchemists’ laboratories and artists’ studios, as both alchemists and artists were playfully referred to as “apes of nature” due to their attempts to imitate the natural world. In her painting, David includes a monkey as an alchemist, referencing this historical association and showcasing her interest in the convergence of art, alchemy, and the imitation of nature. She also incorporates notes in French in the paintings, emphasising ecological themes and the harmonious coexistence of species. Through vibrant, almost psychedelic and mysterious imagery dominated by shades of green, she captures the essence of monkeys as observers and imitators, mirroring their role in the interconnectedness of art and the natural world.

Description is excerpted from “Neverwhere" Exhibition Catalog, 2023, p.60.