A helicopter, covered in gold leaf and decorated with thousands of diamonds, its cabin exterior invaded by an extravagant and colorful cover of ostrich feathers. The small opening at the front of the cabin, a mouth that the feathers did not occupy, reveals a sumptuous interior, with carved wood, gilding and embroidered upholstery, inscribed with Marie Antoinette's monogram. Lilicoptère uses the aesthetics of royalty at the end of the Old Regime, rich, glamorous and bold, to suggest the metamorphosis of machine into animal; returning to the inspiration at the origins of man's dream of flying coming true.
© Luís Vasconcelos
© Joaquim Norte de Sousa
© Manchester Art Gallery
© Luís Vasconcelos
Making Of
Artwork Details
PRODUCTION DATE
2012
DIMENSIONS
300 x 274 x 1265 cm
MATERIALS
Bell 47 helicopter, ostrich feathers, swarovski crystals, gold leaf, industrial paint, leather upholstery embossed with fine gold, arraiolos rugs, walnut wood, woodgrain painting, passementerie
NOTES
Artwork produced with the collaboration of the Ricardo do Espírito Santo Silva Foundation, Lisbon.
COLLECTION
Private Collection, Aix-en-Provence
Artwork exhibited at
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