Natasha Lelenco, Champollion, 2020, Mixed Media

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Champollion is a conceptual portrait by Natasha Lelenco, created as part of the limited edition series The Important Bigwigs. This … Read more Champollion is a conceptual portrait by Natasha Lelenco, created as part of the limited edition series The Important Bigwigs. This work is number 15 of only 20 hand-finished pieces made from a digitized version of Lelenco’s original drawing. The image is chemically transferred onto a round wood panel and meticulously retouched in acrylic, resulting in a new original artwork, signed and numbered by the artist. Part of a satirical collection of 45 character studies, Champollion represents the archetype of the self-important scholar—a keeper of historical truths who edits the past to suit his own agenda. The text accompanying the original piece refers to history as “a patchwork quilt built by men like me… who choose what to bury or let rot, and what story to tell.” The portrait shows an elegant, hollow-eyed figure, equal parts fragile and pompous, embodying Lelenco’s humorous but critical lens on the human ego. The name refers to Jean-François Champollion, the decipherer of the Rosetta Stone, but the character transcends historical reference to symbolize intellectual vanity and the manipulative power of those who write history. In Lelenco’s broader Bigwigs project, each portrait caricatures a distinct human vice—greed, arrogance, envy, or delusion—creating a psychological atlas of absurdity. These works are designed for flexible display, functioning as individual statements or as part of larger, modular installations. 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



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