Artist Sylvie Fraser‘s series of photographs Portraits de ma cour: Les résilients, currently on show at Circa, is a metaphor of fortitude in the face of adversity. Fraser’s Å“uvre is based on the work of psychologist Boris Cyrulnik, who as a child survived the Nazi occupation of France. The tenet of Cyrulnik’s writing on psychological resilience is that trauma doesn’t equal destiny, and it is this idea of transcendence which inspires Fraser’s work.

The artist created portraits, mostly profiles, created by placing seeds of different colours and shapes on fertile ground. Despite the limits of her materials Fraser achieves a certain degree of subtlety, some of the faces are wonderfully lively. She then photographed the ‘seed-paintings’ over a period of time, documenting the transformation of the portraits. The seeds swell and germinate, distorting the faces until they are completely obliterated by the lush growth.

Some artworks are photomontages of the initial seed-portrait superimposed on the verdant plants they become. Fraser also experiments with projections, underlining the ethereal quality of her theme of transcendence.

Portraits de ma cour: Les résilients is a poetic exploration of destruction and survival.

Centre d’exposition Circa, space 444
Sylvie Fraser
Portraits de ma cour: Les résilients
February 25 – March 31, 2012
www.circa-art.com