Description

Madré (2018): Original Recovery Art Oil Painting

Madré (2018) is a deeply intimate, monumental original painting on canvas by South African contemporary artist Lucille Fernandes-Stangl. Measuring 80 cm x 120 cm, this expressive portraiture work blends archival oil paint with newspaper collage elements to explore the complex layers of maternal identity, historical secrets, and generational memory. Focusing intently on a cropped, close-up study of a face, the composition navigates the fine line between familiar recognition and psychological distortion.

“She was 16, maybe 17. A stone fox from another place. A version of my mother I had never met. She holds the secrets of her past and the greater secret of her future. Analysing and looking so close, I sought to know her. I looked so close that she began to distort. By day she appears monstrous, in the darkness emerges the shadows of her younger, sweeter self and I am still seeking her mysteries. Nonetheless, she remains an Unsung Heroine.”

— Lucille Fernandes-Stangl, Artist Statement

Forming part of the celebrated collection The Unsung Heroines, Madré (2018) honors women whose lives have been shaped by profound emotional resilience and recovery. By turning a intense, analytical eye toward her mother’s youthful image, Lucille Fernandes-Stangl transforms personal reflection into an extraordinary visual narrative for fine art collectors, gallery curation, and spaces dedicated to somatic exploration and contemporary portraiture.

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Artistic Technique, Color Palette & Medium

Created in studio using professional, artist-grade oil paints and newspaper collage on canvas, Madré (2018) showcases a masterclass in impasto layering, textured surfaces, and extreme facial foreshortening. The integration of newsprint behind dynamic paint layers adds a literal historical substrate, grounding the portrait in the passage of time.

The color palette moves between stark contrast and warm, intimate light:

• Warm Ochres & Luminous Flesh Tones: Soft peaches, warm sands, and glowing highlights illuminate the central features, bringing forth the subject’s younger self.
• Deep Umbers & Charcoal Shadows: Dark, dramatic shadows frame the composition, creating psychological depth and sense of mystery.
• Subtle Cool Accents & Collage Textures: Muted blues and raw newsprint textures peek through paint layers, offering physical structure and visual interest.

All materials and canvas substrates utilized conform to high archival and lightfast standards, ensuring long-term structural durability and color permanence.

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The Narrative: Unsung Heroines, Memory & Recovery Art

In contemporary Recovery Art, examining ancestral lineage and parental dynamics plays a key role in understanding personal identity. Madré (2018) acknowledges that the people who raised us contained whole lives, secrets, and vulnerabilities before we ever knew them. Through expressive mark-making and close analysis, the artwork bridges the gap between past perception and present understanding.

As an authentic studio original from Johannesburg, South Africa, this canvas turns an unvarnished family portrait into a lasting piece of contemporary fine art.

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Artwork Specifications & Fine Art Provenance

This original canvas is an authentic studio work from Johannesburg, South Africa, and includes complete provenance records.

Artwork Details:

• Artwork Title: Madré (2018)
• Artist: Lucille Fernandes-Stangl
• Year of Creation: 2018
• Medium: Archival Oil and Newspaper Collage on Canvas
• Dimensions: 80 cm wide x 120 cm high
• Framing: Unframed canvas (Stretched on professional studio wood strainers)
• Provenance: Direct from the artist’s studio (Johannesburg, South Africa)
• Shipping: Fully insured, professional global packaging and worldwide delivery
• Certificate of Authenticity: Accompanied by an official, hand-signed Certificate of Authenticity. Preservation follows standard international art conservation guidelines.

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Care & Display Guidelines

To preserve the archival quality and rich tactile surface of this oil and collage canvas, display indoors away from direct, unshielded sunlight and excessive humidity. Clean gently using a dry, soft microfiber cloth or camel-hair brush to maintain the delicate impasto peaks without disturbing the collage surface.