Location

Country: UK
City: London
Place: Government Art Collection

An image of an old-fashioned manual sewing machine, 'Butterfly', links the two parts of Isaac Julien's diptych. Subtitled 'Papillon' (meaning 'butterfly' in French), the bisected image alludes to the insect's wings. It was photographed in Tiebele, a village in Burkina Faso, during Julien's visit to the former French colonial territory. In the background are the geometric designs of Tiebele's traditional architecture. Inspired by the country's rich cultural heritage, Julien's work eloquently marries two aspects of African and Western material culture.

Places

Africa, Burkina Faso

Subjects

topography, townscape/cityscape, sewing machine, house, door, table (as Subject)

Materials & Techniques

diptych, photograph (as object name), lambda print

Artist

Isaac Julien (1960 - )

Title

Fantôme Créole Series (Papillon no. 1)

Edition

1/6

Date

2005

Medium

Diptych of Lambda prints on gloss paper

Dimensions

height: 119.50 cm, width: 119.50 cm

Acquisition

Purchased from Victoria Miro, November 2005

Inscription

none

Provenance

Victoria Miro Gallery, London

GAC number

18057/2