With this artist book, presented as a portfolio of prints, Portuguese artist Carla Filipe analyses a particular type of lizard, known in Portuguese as sardão, which holds her fascination as an animal steeped in folklore and popular culture. The sardão, also known as ocellated or jewelled lizard, can be found across southern Europe, and is connected to a variety of stories and legends that make it an animal feared and revered, particularly by women. In this work, the lizard is abstracted into black and white textures and patterns, and a scientific illustration: an attempt to get to know the animal more closely, perhaps, while also holding it at a safe distance.
The artist book contains five screenprints, printed by James Vass, representing the abstracted body of the lizard and an illustration. The cover, realised by Jodi Le Bigre, Neil Corall, screenprinted by James Vass, features a text by the artist where she expresses, in her idiosyncratic language, between English and Portuguese, her amalgam of fascination and fear towards the animal.
Sardão (The Lizard) is first presented in Carla Filipe’s exhibition, The Lizard, as part of the New Aberdeen Bestiary, a three-year project involving seven international artists working with us on a series of exhibitions, prints, workshops and events developed by peacock & the worm. The artist’s intention, with this work, is to make an affordable fine art publication that will outlive the exhibition.
All works by Carla Filipe
Printmaking coordinator: Jodi Le Bigre
Screenprint: James Vass
Relief printing: Neil Corall and Jodi Le Bigre
Comes with a signed Certificate of Authenticity.
Photography by Filipe Braga
Size: 63 x 42 cm (prints) / 99 x 76 cm (cover open) / 64 x 42 cm (cover closed)
Medium: Prints - screenprint on Arches 88 300 gsm; Cover - laser-cut relief print and screenprint on Somerset Satin 410 gsm
Edition Size: 23
Year: 2023