Isle of the Dead
7 - 12 Sep 2007
This series of work is based around an idea of the Isle of Dead, which is referred to in Greek, Celtic and Christian mythology. The Isle of Dead, located in, or across, the River Styx, is where one is taken following death. There are many versions of the story, of which these paintings are based on none. Instead, I have allowed an idea, based on research, to inform my work, whilst my imagination calculates the rest.
I am fascinated by what the island is like, what species of otherworldly vegetation exist, and particularly how crowded it is. I am interested in whether death is lonely, hence the apparent lack of human life in the images.
Whilst I am interested in the evident apocalyptic connotations of these places, I don’t necessarily want to represent them as such. The common-held belief is that one crosses the Styx to Hell, but I wonder if the Island really is Hellish. Is it Heavenly, or Purgatory or simply crowded with dead, emotionless souls.
Louise Yeandle
Born 1980, lives and works in London.
Louise Yeandle’s oil paintings use landscape as a vehicle to explore ideas and to research topics in which she is interested. Her latest paintings depict the Isle of Dead. They look at myths and religion, which she has interpreted and reformed.
She has exhibited in various group and solo shows in the UK since graduating in 2003, having studied at the Arts Institute at Bournemouth and Winchester School of Art.