About the work

Within the framework of the symbolism that inspired Versailles, the abduction of Proserpine in the centre of the Colonnade Grove corresponds to the advent of winter that sweeps aside the autumn. Entwined by Sheila Hicks, Girardon’s sculpture fades into textile obscurity, taking on the colours of autumn and winter. Strips of fabric extend out from the central sculpture to the branches of the trees in the park that stand around the pool/pond, forming a cosmic clock. Thus, the large clock face of the colonnade refers to the cycle of time, from the flamboyant vegetation to the melancholy of dead wood.

About the artist

Born in 1934 in Hastings, United States of America, Sheila Hicks lives and works in Paris, France.

Sheila Hicks is interested in ethnography and is inspired by weaving techniques—from traditional to industrial—across different cultures. Hicks is scrupulously attentive to objects from daily life, no matter how small, as long as they contain an aspect of technical innovation: their functional purpose allows for the appearance of a repertoire of textures of which she makes ingenious use. In the artist’s work, immemorial, habitual, or ritualistic practices are combined with ultra-contemporary innovation to create a metaphorical and tangible connection between multiple realities.

The artist website