(UN)FINISHED - Marie Antoinette

I first encountered the unfinished painting of Marie-Antoinette by Alexander Kucharsky over ten years ago in an exhibition in Paris. I was captivated by the way the detailed face and background contrasted with the blank, unfinished areas, giving the painting a surprisingly modern appearance. The unfinished nature of the painting also tells a more layered story than a completed one. It reflects the fall from grace of the subject, Marie-Antoinette, during the creation of the work. As the Queen was imprisoned and later tried and executed, the painting was never finished. A blow from a pike, made by a revolutionary, is visible on the lower part of the work—an almost literal sign of the times.

In response to this, I created a new version of the painting by combining print on velvet with machine embroidery. The embroidered polka dots introduce yet another layer to the painting, making it more contemporary. The polka dot pattern is embroidered in varying densities, dense on the outside and gradually fading towards the face.