By Georgia Griffin
Located in East Hampton, NY
Surrealist Whimsical Sea Horse
About
Close attention to detail. Surreal Dark Humor Whimsical Surrealism
COMES ON STRETCHED CANVAS, FRAMED. About the Series: “Sovereigns of the Sea.” The series grew out of an amusing little sketch she did of a fish in a gown. Very soon she was researching official portraits of Queen Elizabeth I, studying the gowns and crown jewels of her era. Reimagining her royal visage through a chimerical lens, Queen Elizafish was born. Gradually that lens showed Georgia an array of colorful characters in a world where semi-anthropomorphic sea creatures are the sovereigns of days gone by. Her subjects are rendered in what Georgia calls whimsical surrealism, aquatic nobles surveying their dominions on dry land but never far from their seas. She researches royals’ portraits and histories, and renders their alter egos seriously, while sharing a wink with the viewer.
King Henry VIII Crabbe soon followed the Queen, and then came King Richard Eel, Georgia's portrait of Richard III. Remarkable for his sharply curving back and sad expression, Richard Eel’s crown rests on a cushion at his side. After a hiatus for cross-country relocation, she produced the brilliantly colored Emperor JeLee Kangxi, a jellyfish interpretation of the 4th Emperor of the Qing dynasty upon his carved throne.
That brings us to Dom João Hipocampo I, Johnny Rei to his friends. Fresh off Georgia's easel, this portrait shows Dom João I as a vibrant golden seahorse cloaked in a cape the rich blue of Portugal's famous azulejos (tiles). The 10th and longest reigning King of Portugal (1385-1433), Dom João I established the Aviz dynasty and vanquished Castile, thus guaranteeing Portugal's continued independence.
About the Artist: Georgia Griffin...
Category
2010s Contemporary Georgia Griffin Art
MaterialsCotton Canvas, Acrylic