Description

Minerals (overview)

The ongoing series MINERALS is an examination of stereotyping – the hidden systems that inevitably drive human behavior in all cultures and societies. It was initially developed in the United States using references from American culture. The series was later reinterpreted to address a Japanese audience following a 2-month research residency at Tokyo Arts and Space. As a dual French/American citizen, I plan to extend the series to encompass references from the cultures of France and French-speaking nations.

American Minerals

“American Minerals” (2014-16) are a mashup of pop culture, sociology, scientific data and the raw beauty of stones. These large acrylic paintings show crystal shapes against the backdrop of scientific mineral data that has been reinterpreted as scales of human traits. Each mineral property (hard, dense, lustrous, etc.) is represented by the face of a widely recognized persona plucked from the spectrum of a contemporary American's cultural references. The American "Minerals" series was later redeveloped using faces that are famous in Japan, proving that – regardless of culture – a cliché, a stereotype or a façade always hides something more complex.

The Mineralogical Scales (American Interpretation):

• High Hardness: Clint Eastwood, the quintessential tough guy in American cinema
• Low Hardness: Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man, fictional marshmallow brand mascot
• High Color: Barry White, African-American soul musician
• Low Color: Jack Black, white American actor
• High Streak (true color): Severus Snape, hard-to-pin-down character from the Harry Potter series
• Low Streak (true color): Judas Iscariot, double-crossing disciple of Christ
• High Transparency: Abraham Lincoln, American president with the nickname “Honest Abe”
• Low Transparency: Kim Jong Il, North Korean dictator
• High Luster (diamond-like): Elizabeth Taylor, actress known for her love of diamonds
• Low Luster (greasy): Danny Zuko, oily-haired main character from the musical “Grease”
• High Cleavage: Dolly Parton, buxom singer-songwriter
• Low Cleavage: Keira Knightley, lithe actress with a flat chest
• High Habit/Form (shape): Chris Christie, defiantly obese politician
• Low Habit/Form (shape): Kate Moss, supermodel waif of the 1990s
• High Density: Paris Hilton, heiress and dumb blonde archetype
• Low Density: Albert Einstein, scientist whose name is synonymous with intelligence
• High Symmetry: Parvati, many-armed Hindu goddess
• Low Symmetry: Owen Wilson, crooked-nosed actor
• High Chemistry: Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, A-list couple famous for their romance
• Low Chemistry: Woody Allen and Soon-Yi Previn, taboo couple who were once stepfather and stepdaughter