The Liz Taylor Series

Friart presents the first European survey of Dutch-American artist Kathe Burkhart. Spanning over thirty years of work, this exhibition shows an important selection of large-scale paintings and works on paper taken from the Liz Taylor Series.

Each work from this methodical and performative series is both a depiction of Elizabeth Taylor and simultaneously, a self-portrait of the artist. The iconic actress is represented throughout the years, her face systematically painted in a neutral pallor, that disembodies her and turns her into a projection screen. This project is a double chronicle: that of the mythical actress born in 1932, juxtaposing that of the artist, born 26 years later, in which personal and public issues, both individual and political, intertwine. Burkhart provides a political and social critique, directly addressing the viewer through verbal slurs painted on each portrait of the series.