Mieux qu'à Naples
“It’s my own Holy Shroud, my own lie!” says Jean-Luc Verna of his series of transfers on fabric. In these works, the drawing is photocopied and then transferred onto a veil with the help of make-up before it is fixed to the wall with large folds. The ambiguity of Mieux qu’à Naples lies in the interplay between the prosaic nature of the subject and the spiritual symbolism of the medium. The scene depicts a satyr, a lustful and perverse mythological figure known for his drunkenness. While contemplating a mask representing his own face, the man with goat’s legs and pointed ears copulates with another creature in a relationship of domination and submission. This erotic image, which appears to present the sexual act as a subterfuge, at first sight seems to be at odds with the mystical aspect of the textile, which recalls Saint Veronica’s Veil, which bore the miraculous imprint of Christ’s face. Emblematic of Jean-Luc Verna’s mixture of genres between the sacred and the profane, Mieux qu’à Naples is a complex layering of symbols and diverse references.
Text written by Franny Tachon as part of the partnership between the École du Louvre and Lafayette Anticipations – Fonds de dotation Famille Moulin.
Exhibitions
Galerie Michel Journiac, Paris (France)
from 05 Apr to 17 Apr 2018
La Galerie des Galeries, Paris (France)
from 01 Oct to 29 Oct 2005
Espace d’arts plastiques de Vénissieux, Vénissieux (France)
from 28 May to 13 Jul 2005