Djan Silveberg
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Djan Silveberg is a French visual artist, born 1969 in Chambery (France).
He uses various forms of artistic expressions in a playful and humoristic approach for his works, mixed with an underlying recurring ‘narrative poetry’.
He lives and works in France and Luxembourg.[1]
Biography
After his studies in France (in Lyon and Grenoble, with notably Jean-Marie Pirot-Arcabas), England (Canterbury) and Italy (Rome), Djan Silveberg started his artistic career by participating in a first photography exhibition on Ireland in 1992. Then in 1994 with ‘Quelques Vers de Rome – MXMXCIV’ he started to combine pictures (black-and-white photos) and words (poetry), laying down the bases of his ‘narrative poetry’ approach. In 1995 and 1996, ‘Quelques Vers de Rome – MXMXCIV’ was presented as a personal exhibition in La Ravoire, Chambery, La Motte Servolex and finally in Lyon during the G7 Summit. ‘Quelques Vers de Rome – MXMXCIV’ was published by Odes & Chimeres editions in 1997.[2]
Between 1996 and 2001 Djan Silveberg developed his artistic approach by painting under the pseudonym of Violette de Villard-Valmar, with notably the ‘cow’ series, while pursuing his works on pictures and words as Djan Silveberg. The two major pieces of work of that time are ‘The Sigmae Folio’ with drawings and poems in English, and ‘Chants d’Amour et de Liberté’ from which several extracts were published in the Art & Poesie revue.
In 2009, Djan Silveberg gave a new impulse to his artistic career by using new ways of expression such as sculpting, with various projects developed over the years:
- Sic Transit Gloria Mundi (latin phrase meaning ‘Thus passes the glory of the world’) belongs to the Vanitas tradition. Reflection on the vanity of life and glory of famous people who became living myths while alive.
- Willy Rabbit’s Adventures in Cityland, parodying Alice in Wonderland, tells the story of an orange rabbit called Willy who, after having fallen down a hole while running after a small girl, discovers the cities and buildings created by men. Series of in situ photos taken in big cities and famous sites with the rabbit character, imitating the traditional touristic views but taken from 15 centimeters off the ground.
- Impressions consists of big size paint impressions on canvas of street furnitures (e.g. public benches).
- Hypermodern Times : Under this title taken from sociologists, Djan Silveberg develops humorous and critical works that reflect the beginning of 21st century, with all its excesses and society’s specificities.[3]
Characteristics of his work
Playful, humour and narrative poetry
Two main recurring elements build up the artistic work of Djan Silveberg through the various forms of expressions he uses:
The ‘narrative poetry’, which comes from the literary world, is the expression of feelings through his works that can be tracked down as a kind of story-telling. The critical point of view of meaning and values. The quest for oneself and the other. This narrative poetry not only comes from words but also images and forms.
A discrete, sometimes cutting or dark kind of humour is the second aspect of Djan Silveberg’s artistic approach. Some of his works also play on words or symbols, with historical or literary references, even sometimes messages to decipher. He likes to generate amusing or rejection reactions, especially to trigger the will to come aboard his world.[4]
References
Publications
Quelques Vers de Rome – MXMXCIV, Odes & Chimeres editions, 1997, ISBN 2-911795-00-8
