Natasha Lelenco, Mr. Bucles, 2021, Mixed Media

Details

Description

This limited edition portrait by natasha lelenco, titled mr. Bucles, is number 15 in a hand-finished series of 20 works … Read more This limited edition portrait by natasha lelenco, titled mr. Bucles, is number 15 in a hand-finished series of 20 works based on her acclaimed project the important bigwigs (2021). Each piece in the edition begins with a high-resolution digitization of the original artwork, chemically transferred onto a treated pine wood block. The artist then intervenes on each surface with acrylic, reworking details and tones to create a singular, unique new artwork within the edition. Painted on a 2 cm-thick sculptural pine panel, mr. Bucles presents a theatrical, sorrowful figure rendered in rich tones, with curling red hair, tired eyes, and a ruffled golden collar. The character evokes the archetype of someone weighed down by conformity and regret. His poetic monologue—featured in lelenco’s illustrated book—confesses: “i was not allowed to be happy… i did nothing, saw no world, learned nothing i could tell you.” this character, like the other 44 in the bigwigs series, personifies human flaws and excesses—vanity, arrogance, cowardice—through satirical figuration. While some references are drawn from historical or literary sources, most of the portraits are invented archetypes. The original paintings were publicly burned during a ritual bonfire on st. John’s eve, making these mixed media editions the only existing physical testimonies of the project. Designed to function both individually and as part of multi-panel installations, these pieces offer rich visual dialogue and conceptual resonance. this piece is attributed to the mentioned designer/maker. It has no attribution mark and no
official proof of authenticity,
however it is well documented in design history. I take full responsibility for any authenticity



issues arising from misattribution See less