The Couchsurfing Series

Available through The Cynthia Corbett Gallery, London

By Cristina Schek

November 22^nd, 2020

Fusing the real with the surreal permeating the everyday life in isolation with a sense of mystery. Or, doing my travelling in between my ears.

The 'Couchsurfing Series' comprises the four works below and is part of a project that took place in June 2020, during the London Lockdown.

This series is available through The Cynthia Corbett Gallery, London. For questions, acquisitions or any other enquiries please contact. info@thecynthiacorbettgallery.com

Tel. 44 (0) 20 8947 6782 | M. UK 44 (0) 7939 085 076 | M. US 1 773 600 7719

'On Vacation, June 2020'

Inspired by a DNA study revealing that Aboriginal Australians have been genetically isolated from the rest of humanity for 50,000 years with no direct evidence that they had ever intermarried with South-East Asians.

A deep indigenous genetic history tracing all the way back to the initial settlement of the continent 50,000 years ago. A most unique heritage.

For the curious, here's the study.

'On Vacation, June 2020' was featured on the official invites and publicity material for Orleans House Gallery’s ‘ART UNLOCKED’ in October 2020.

'Florence Lightingale'

A Tribute to Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing.

Florence gained the nickname 'the Lady with the Lamp' during her work at Scutari. 'The Times' reported that at night she would walk among the beds, checking the wounded men holding a light in her hand.

“Away from the worn-out out-of-date academic portrait of the female muse, Cristina Schek’s attention-grabbing images are inspired by literature and history. I marvel at her unique quirky portraits of modern life, in interiors brimming with warm comfy chintz and cosy furniture. But the real clout and muscle comes from the lone woman masked, in her flowing gown, inspiring powerful messages of caution for women today. Different to a man’s representation of the female, Schek inspires us to be the victor not the victim. As a woman, though the lens of her eye, she created a new, unique, visual language influencing and motivating us to be as progressive and visionary as we are. To be assertive, bold, self-assured powerful, and confident. To develop and enlarge our value(s). To think, feminist weight solid enough, in images not just of her, but of you and me, in Schek’s sumptuous, surrealistic, delightful imaginings.” @EstelleLovatt, FRSA

The image of 'the Lady with the Lamp' captured the public's imagination and Florence soon became a celebrity.

One of the main creators of the Florence Nightingale cult was Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, who immortalised her in his poem 'Santa Filomena'.

'A Lady with a lamp shall stand.

In the great history of the land,

A noble type of good,

Heroic Womanhood'.'

Santa Filomena'

by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, 1857

‘Planted’

Inspired by Vladimir Tretchikoff's portrait Chinese Girl, often referred to as The Green Lady.

'The Green Lady'

The first prints of Tretchikoff's Chinese Girl were available in Britain in 1956. They became incredibly popular because "they matched people's expectations of the exotic," suggests Boris Gorelik, Tretchikoff's biographer. "In the 1950s and '60s, people wanted to travel to foreign lands. Like rock musicians, who have a certain period when what they do matches popular taste – this is what happened with Tretchikoff. " (The Independent)

“Chinese Girl”, the iconic 1950 painting by Vladimir Tretchikoff

The highest selling art print in history, in the 1950s and ’60s “Chinese Girl” captured imaginations “and pride of place above mantelpieces across the globe, from South Africa to Australia, Britain to America,” according to Bonhams’ auction catalogue.

The painting had been an unprecedented success during Tretchikoff’s tour of the US in 1953-4 and Canada in 1955, prompting him to reproduce it in the form of the large-scale lithographic print with which he would become synonymous.

Unseen for many years, the original painting was once again exhibited in the landmark exhibition “Tretchikoff: The People’s Painter” at the South African National Gallery in 2011.

'Girl With A Babylonian Earring'

Inspired by Vermeer's 'Girl with a Pearl Earring'.

‘Girl With A Babylonian Earring’ Inspired by Vermeer’s ‘Girl with a Pearl Earring’.

The earring that The Girl With A Babylonian Earring is wearing is a nice piece of soap, for a squeaky clean #covid19 photoshoot in isolation. More than anything, all through this year I’ve been thankful for the #soap. Soap is hope!

'The Couchsurfing Series' by Cristina Schek created during the 2020 Lockdown

Behind The Scenes Video

LIGHT was the driving force behind this series. The stunning natural light pouring through the Venetian blinds in the morning made it all possible. In the accompanying behind-the-scenes video, you'll see how light changes throughout the day. I had to discard the darker photos and focus on the ones where the light shone through. This experience taught me an important lesson during these challenging times - to never let negativity from the outside affect my inner self. Instead, I learned to rely on my imagination and the light within.