Daphne Gerou

I work primarily with graphite on paper to develop narrative imagery that makes reference to the nature and culture dynamic. To do so, I make use of animal figures and other creatures that draw from the traditional children’s book and fairy tale genre. My drawings point to both historical and contemporary issues, and often illustrate a hybrid reality in which symbols and identifiers of both past and present are combined.

I am interested in the relationship between existing social infrastructures and idyllic cultural standards, such as the long standing ideal of the rural farm in comparison to the large-scale food production industry. These contrasts and contradictions are recurring themes that I address in my work. To date, I have examined issues of environment vs culture, survival and warfare, and identity as mediated by culture. I am presently shifting my work to examine the cultural dynamics of mixed societies. This shift involves moving from the outdoor, rural landscape that has appeared in previous bodies of work, and into interior dwelling spaces that are at once contemporary and also reflective of historical architeture.

In this recent work, I have looked at the concept of collective cannibalism as it relates to the appropriation of cultural practices. This work also examines role reversals and issues of personal territory and survival. 

My aesthetic draws from a variety of traditions, which ranges from Baroque period painting and the Dutch still life, to Socialist (and social) Realism and the neo-classical landscape.