Beverly Semmes : la flor del paraiso
"In the exhibition at Kunstahallen, Beverly Semmes shows two large, sculptural installations and a selection of her latest videos. One of these large, fabric sculptures is "Buried Treasure" of 1994 - a black dress that hangs from an inaccessibly high place on the wall, one sleeve running almost endlessly across the floor in a labyrinthian fashion. The other large work, made specifically for Kunsthallen this year, is entitled La Flor del Paraiso. This "Flower of Paradise" is like an excursion into the rain forest where the encounter with its bright flora and fauna includes several large anacondas. Cascades of luminous, orange organza flows like phosphorescent water from the windows, spilling out across the floor the The Pillarless Gallery. Amorphous glass jars with handles like innumerable arms are placed in the "lake", reflecting their surroundings in a multitude of prisms. The luxurious abundance of beautiful fabric and the large, glittering jars signal richness and superfluity, court balls and haute couture; but above all, Beverly Semmes' works are characterized by their unique fusion of unconcealed beauty and monstrous deformity."-- from foreword
Print Book, English, 2004
Kunsthallen Brandts Klædefabrik, Odense, Denmark, 2004