Islamic Works
The inspiration for the earliest works in this series stemmed from the 2003 invasion of Iraq by the US. In this body of work I combine my love of geometric design; in this case, patterns from Islamic art and architecture along with poems from Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass translated into Iraqi. My intention is, in an understated way, to question our lack of understanding and respect for Arab and Islamic cultures while at the same time, protesting the war. Whitman—for me the quintessential American poet—was a celebrated unifier and embracer of cultures and customs.
After completing this initial series I continued in the same vein, now calling the series the Islamic Works. The work has evolved to include ideograms, Arab proverbs and phrases as well as Whitman’s verses, plus an expansion outside of the purely geometric motif. Through combining beauty and meaning, I hope to introduce a view of a culture as not simply political headlines, but as the expressive voices of individuals with their own hopes, dreams and desires.
Nota Bene: Although not always apparent, all of the works in the Islamic series include Arabic script. The English translation of this embedded script is the basis for the title of each work except in cases where I've directly used the translation of a Walt Whitman poem into Iraqi, in which cases I've used the original English title of the poem. A native Arabic speaker reviews my work for any possible errors of translation.
Praise Be To God, 2010, 59 x 40 Mixed media on panel
Step Out Of Line I, 2009, 45 x 58 Acrylic on canvas
Step Out Of Line ll, 2009, 48 x 33 Acrylic on panel mounted canvas
Step Out Of Line lll, 2009, 59 x 34 Acrylic on panel mounted canvas
Miracles ll, 2009, 46 x 24 Acrylic on panel mounted canvas
To You, 2009, 47 x 28 Acrylic on panel mounted canvas
A Rose By Any Other Name, 2009, Mixed media on Diesel brand tennis shoes
Shoes or No Shoes at: www.shoesornoshoes.com
We Breathe The Air That Is In Front Of Our Face, 2008, 59 x 40 Mixed media on panel
Thanks ll, 2008, 12 x 12 Mixed media on panel
To Question, 2008, 48 x 40 Acrylic on panel
Joy, 2008, 59 x 40 Mixed media on panel
Its Not Always Black and White, 2008, 59 x 40 Mixed media on panel
Form vs Content, 2008, 59 x 40 Mixed media on panel
Liz Says Peace Baby, 2008, 59 x 40 Mixed media on panel
Bound By Friendship, 2007, 16 x 16 Mixed media on panel
He Who Cooks A Bad Thing, Eats Of It, 2007, 26 x 12 Mixed media on panel
Birds Of A Feather, 2007, 24 x 12 Mixed media on panel
Determination, 2007, 48 x 48 Mixed media on panel
Anticipation, 2007, 28 x 24 Mixed media on panel
For You O Democracy ll, 2006, 46.5 x 11.5 Mixed media on plywood
The Walls Have Ears, 2006, 48 x 12 Mixed media on plywood
Untitled, 2006, 48 x 12 Mixed media on plywood
Shut Not Your Doors, 2006, 48 x 36 Mixed media on panel
Flames, 2006, 36 x 24 (2 18 x 24 pieces) Mixed media on clay-board
Poets To Come, 2006, 48 x 48 (2 pieces) Mixed media on panel
Me Imperturbe, 2006, 48 x 48 (2 pieces) Mixed media on panel
To A Common Prostitute, 2006, 48 x 24 (2 pieces) Mixed media on panel
I Heard It Was Charged Against Me, 2006, 47 x 32 Mixed media on plywood
Miracles, 2006, 63 x 47 (2 pieces) Mixed media on plywood
Walt Whitman III, 2006, 40 x 72 Mixed media on panel
For You O Democracy, 2005, 48 x 48 (2 pieces) Mixed media on panel
Walt Whitman 1, 2005, 48 x 12 Mixed media on plywood
Tableau Alphabetique, 2005, 49 x 58 (28 8 x 8 pieces) Mixed media on clay-board
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Botanicals
After a number of years of working with geometric patterns I ran across this quote: Note to Self: Step Out of Line. It was about seeing the world differently, thinking about things from a new perspective. This inspired me to figuratively step out of line, away from the purely geometric form and structure used in the Islamic Series and work with more organic, curvilinear lines and shapes. Based on botanicals these pieces come in to being from a base of those same geometric forms.
Untitled I, 2010, 48 x 48 Mixed media on panel
Katies Gift I (Peace Baby!), 2010, 48 x 30 Mixed media on panel
Katies Gift II (Peace Baby!), 2010, 48x 30 Mixed media on panel
To Question ll, 2010, 36 x 24 (2 pieces) Mixed media on panel
Alicia, 2010, 54 x 24 (3 pieces) Mixed media on panel
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Manifest Destiny
The never failing appeal of a map, any map, keeps bringing me back to painting my personal version of a map, it’s something I have done off and on for a number of years. I like the way maps suggest a view of a locale, or even the entire earth with all its continents. One looks at a map and can imagine wandering through the area that is depicted knowing all along that the map is not even close to reality—but still we believe. I hope these pieces of mine evoke that feeling.
Manifest Destiny I, 2010, 59 x 40 Mixed media on panel
Manifest Destiny III, 2010, 30 x 30 Mixed media on panel
Manifest Destiny V, 2010, 30 x 30 Mixed media on panel
Manifest Destiny II, 2010, 30 x 30 Mixed media on panel
Manifest Destiny IV, 2010, 30 x 30 Mixed media on panel
Party Line I, 2010, 20 x 16 Mixed media on panel
Party Line II, 2010, 20 x 16 Mixed media on panel
Party Line III, 2010, 20 x 16 Mixed media on panel
Red, Blue And Yellow Stripes, 2007, 48 x 12 Mixed media on panel
Orange Stripes, 2007, 48 x 12 Mixed media on panel
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Works on Paper
Party Line IV, 2010, 17 x 14 Mixed media on paper
Party Line V, 2010, 17 x 14 Mixed media on paper
Party Line VI, 2010, 17 x 14 Mixed media on paper
Party Line VII, 2010, 17 x 14 Mixed media on paper
Party Line VIII, 2010, 16.5 x 11.5 Mixed media on paper
Party Line IX, 2010, 16.5 x 11.5 Mixed media on paper
Party Line X, 2010, 16.5 x 11.5 Mixed media on paper
Party Line XI, 2010, 16.5 x 11.5 Mixed media on paper
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Upcoming Shows
Spring Open Studios
April 16-17, 2011
The Blue Studio
2111 Mission @ 17th
4th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94110
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CV
Birthplace
Santa Monica, California
Education
199400000BFA Parson’s School of Design, Paris, France
Selected Exhibitions
201000000Five San Francisco Artists, Marji Gallery, Santa Fe, New Mexico
200900000Form vs Context (solo show), Michealangelo Gallery, Santa Cruz, California
200800000Eleven on the 11th, Reaves Gallery, San Francisco, California
200700000Selections, 111 Minna Gallery, San Francisco, California
200700000News: A Visual Exploration of Topics that are in the News or Should Be,
0000000002nd City Council, Long Beach, California
200600000A Kind of Blue, the Blue Studio, San Francisco, California
200500000Monterey Museum of Art’s Biennial Competition, Works by 63 California Artists
000000000Monterey, California
2005-9000.Open Studios, San Francisco, California
200400000Santa Cruz County Bank – Sensibilities, 5 Local Artists, Santa Cruz, Calfornia
2001-5000.Rancho Soquel Artists, Soquel, California
200100000Michelangelo Gallery, Santa Cruz, California
200000000Long Beach Arts, Long Beach, California
199900000Galleria Tonantzin, San Juan Bautista, California
199800000Celebration of Fine Art, San Francisco, California
199700000Santa Cruz Art Center, Santa Cruz, California
199700000Michelangelo Studios Gallery Show, Santa Cruz, California
199600000Open Studios, Santa Cruz, California
1994-9500.Portes Ouvertes, Paris, France
199400000Intimités Déchires, Banque d’arts Cascades, Paris, France
1992-9400.American Chamber of Commerce, Paris, France
Pubilications
http://www.arteaser.com/2009/01/marie-bourget.html
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Contact
Marie Bourget at 831-239-7775
mimibo@gmail.com
My studio is located at:
The Blue Studio
2111 Mission Street @ 17th
San Francisco, CA 94110
For more information about specific artwork or a series, or if you would like to come by for a studio visit, please call 831-239-7775 or email me at mimibo@gmail.com for an appointment. If you'd like to be added to my mailing list please fill out the form below.
Your email address will not be used for any other purposes other than being informed of my art events and announcements, nor will it be sold or given to any other parties.
Represented in Santa Fe, NM by the Marji Gallery: www.marjigallery.com