Phantom Blaze, 2022
170 x 140 x 25 cm Fiberglass, recycled styrofoam, polyurethane resin, copper, coldpatine & iron oxide
Monumental and unapologetic, Phantom Blaze is a suspended sculpture inspired by the Baroque tradition of transforming marble into sinuous fabric. This material illusion characterizes the work of Bernini and is particularly visible in his iconic work The Ecstasy of Saint Teresa (1652). In Bernini's masterwork the tenderness and electricity of the sitter is captured in the tempestuous fabric and preserved for eternity. Instead, in Phantom Blaze anthropomorphism shrouds the sculpture appearing as if the undulating forms were a moving crowd frozen in time.
The latest development in Isotta Page's signature style of 'industrial baroque', Phantom Blaze is a distinctly feminine form, a symbol of female strength and spirit. In the work, industrial fiberglass flows into warm metallic waves with iridescent shadows. Copper is oxidised into small pools catching the eye with a topographical interplay of concave and convex valleys similar to those of the surrounding Umbrian landscape.
