Marisa Darasavath Laos Laotian Artist- Bond

mercoledì 11 ottobre 2017

Marisa Darasavath Laos Laotian Artist- Bond

Marisa Darasavath

Ms. Darasavath is a Lao artist with the unique distinction of being the only Lao artist to present at the “Open Sea” exhibit at the Musée d’Art Contemporain de Lyon, in Lyon, France (April 17 through July 12, 2015).

From the Art Loft website: “Her stylized work pivots around issues of female gender and representation, spanning across intimate scenes of domesticity to extravagant displays of celebration and harvest. The artist elevates the role of women in her work in spite of the patriarchal society of her country. She investigates her personal relationships with her mother and women within her own community. The theme of “Mother and Child” also remains a staple throughout the artist’s oeuvre. She often expresses the female figure in the midst of languid movement through bold curvilinear forms, a vibrant palette of colour and the use of subtle appropriation of traditional art and motifs. Her canvases embody an undeniable energy and magnetism.”

MARISA DARASAVATH, Untitled, 2013, oil on canvas, 190 × 140 cm. Courtesy the artist.

Marisa Darasavath
Your works have such vibrancy and life. What do you hope to convey with your paintings?
I am interested in the female figure and in portraying the lifestyle of women I observe. I capture women in moments of everyday life, for example, cooking, bathing or fishing, or in relationships they have with their loved ones. I think a woman’s curves are very beautiful and that’s why I apply Lao textile patterns, to emphasize and blend the organic forms into the figurative representations.
For the Biennale, you have an entire gallery space showing quite large-scale paintings. Why did you choose this format for your works?
When I first began painting, I created realistic portraits. I then began to experiment by combining the portrait with various patterns working outward to create these very full-bodied compositions. The scale of the works never really crossed my mind.
Where do your subjects come from?
For some works, I draw inspiration from the Hmong people, who are an ethnic group in Laos and in most parts of Thailand and China. Other times, I paint from memory, my own experiences of everyday routines. I paint in this manner to remind myself of the way life used to be and also to preserve activities that are quickly disappearing.
What do you hope to communicate to your audience?

I would like to express the joyful spirit of life. Even if my paintings depict women who are hard at work, there is a sense of contentment. The colorful palette and curvaceous lines are my ways of conveying this feeling.