jussieu [2008] oil and acrylic on canvas; 75 x 100 cm
an eye-spinning feature facing the seine, the double spiral exterior staircases lead into one of the buildings on the jussieu campus of the university of paris [architect: édouard albert]...
[the flying elephant image on one of the lower window panes, inspired by a photograph of the kenyan "aerophant" "discovered" by spanish artists joan fontcuberta and pere formiguera in the fantastical zoological research documents of an obscure german biologist, is a sly aside to reference the jussieu family of distinguished botanists and historians of the natural world, some of whom were also associated with the jardin des plantes next door...]
