Marielle Plaisir’s “The dismantling of Joan of Arc / Le Démembrement de Jeanne d’Arc” has been on view at K Contemporary since September 28, 2024. The exhibition is on view until November 9, 2024. K Contemporary is located at 1412 Wazee Street, Denver, Colorado.
Description (K Contemporary): Marielle Plaisir offers watercolor and mixed media drawings in a bold reflection on identity, oppression, and resilience. The presentation, entitled The Dismantling of Joan of Arc / Le Démembrement de Jeanne d’Arc, continues her exploration of concepts of domination and power, weaving a daring connection between two emblematic historical figures: Joan of Arc, the 15th-century French heroine and patron saint and the poem “Strange Fruit” by Abel Meeropol, popularized by singer, Billie Holiday. Joan of Arc, born around 1412 in Domrémy, became a legendary figure by leading French troops against the English during the Hundred Years’ War, before being condemned to the stake in 1431 in Rouen. “Strange Fruit,” written in 1937, is a powerful denunciation of the lynchings of African Americans in the southern United States, using the macabre image of “strange fruit” hanging from trees.
Plaisir explains, “I juxtapose these two seemingly disparate narratives to create a visual dialogue on oppression and resistance through the ages. My “Strange Fruits” series of drawings, begun in 2022, visually reinterprets Holiday’s song, showing dismantled body parts that evoke not the brutality of lynching, but the elegance and vitality of the human body and spirit. I construct each work by constantly diverting the subject. Likewise, the violence of Joan of Arc’s martyrdom is not visible in my works. Only visual poetry and a hymn to humanity remain.”
Some of the Plaisir’s drawings incorporate fragments of Italian Renaissance works, highlighting the duality of Plaisir’s identity between her Caribbean roots (Guadalupe) and French European heritage. This artistic choice also draws a parallel between different historical periods and the representation of power and struggle. She doesn’t visually depict the brutality of lynching but rather suggests modern victims and the persistence of systemic oppression.
Jennifer Berry, Director at K Contemporary, adds, “Marielle purposefully shifts the focus to hope, not harm. Her works may allude to difficult times and topics, but they are infused with beauty and the possibility of positive change. By associating “Strange Fruits” and Joan of Arc, she invites deep reflection on injustice and martyrdom in contemporary society. Her socially engaged works transcend temporal and cultural boundaries, offering a visual meditation on the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity.”
For more information, see https://kcontemporaryart.com/show/k-contemporary-marielle-plaisir-the-dismantling-of-joan-of-arc-le-demembrement-de-je
[Image above: Marielle Plaisir’s « Le démembrement de Jeanne d’Arc I, » 2024; inks, watercolor, oil, print on adhesive vinyl film, Swarovski stones on Arches paper; 41.50 x 41.50 x 1.50 in.]