Sylvie Eyberg
doublet (the White)
2023
Heliogravure
48 x 34 cm
Printed on Somerset Satin 250 g paper with Charbonnel 81 Black ink by Erika Greenberg-Schneider - Bleu Acier Inc., Tampa, in an edition of three, plus two Artist’s Proofs, and two Printer’s Proofs
Related works: doublet (Lire), doublet (l'ombre)
Sylvie Eyberg’s practice consists of exploring existing printed material and carefully selecting letters, words, and fragments of images which she reconfigures freely to form lyrical and enigmatic compositions. In her new series of heliogravures, the artist pursues this exploration by revealing the presence of Virginia Woolf in old magazines. Carved into the pages, the letters line up to form words and sentences that recreate fragments of Woolf’s writings, like a hidden subtext.
The title “doublet” (a pair of two similar things) is firstly a reference to the very “canvas” of the artist: the double-page spread, the ordinary and fascinating surface of an open book or magazine based upon the laws of difference and repetition. It also points out the connection of the work to the original — even in material terms, as the format of the open magazine determines the printed surface on the sheet. Finally, “doublet” also alludes to the notion of “translation,” which is key for the artist. Translation can be understood here literally as the passage from one language (English) to the other (French) and figuratively as the transformation of words into images, and vice-versa.
Sylvie Eyberg's exhibition took place at Shūrinkan from November 18, 2023 to May 5, 2024.