Julie Curtiss Opens a Haunting Study of Parenthood at White Cube Seoul
Leaning into the “shadow-side.”
Summary
- Julie Curtiss has lifted the veil on Maid in Feathers at White Cube Seoul
- Running through January 10, the exhibition features new paintings, works on paper and sculpture that explore the psychological dimensions of early motherhood
French artist Julie Curtiss sees her work as a portal into a surreal world, often reworking social archetypes to expose the humor, darkness and uncanny of reality. Her new showcase at White Cube in Seoul pushes deeper into this “shadow-side,” bringing forth an intimate meditation on early motherhood and psychological transformation.
Maid in Feathers is, as Curtiss describes, “all about light and darkness, and difficulty,” peeling back the layers of everyday life. Across acrylic and oil paintings, gouache works on paper and lacquered sculptures, the artist crafts scenes filled with foreboding and fantasy. Yet amid this tension, blooms of bright color break through even the darkest moments, hinting at a release of relief on the horizon.
Pelicans, a symbol traditionally tied to ideas of sacrifice and renewal, make a recurring appearance throughout the show, as in “Nocturnal Visitor” where the dreamlike creature takes on a nurturing and ominous aura. Its domestic presence reflects Curtiss’ ongoing exploration of the unconscious, and through these ambiguous figures, she probes the psychological complexities of the maternal self.
By moving between past selves and the possibilities of the future, inner and outer turmoil, Curtiss traces a journey of transformation. Expressing a Jungian desire “to cross over from being to becoming,” this new body of work captures both the unsettling and strangely reassuring, all rooted in the contradictions of nurturing another’s path while carving out your own.
Maid in Feathers is now on view through January 10.
White Cube Seoul
6 Dosan-daero 45-gil,
Gangnam District, Seoul,
South Korea
