The Past
Irène Philips - Self portrait - Oil on canvas, 90 x 30 cm, +-1982
Irène Philips - Self Portrait - Graphite pencil on paper, +-1982
Irène Philips - Self Portrait - Oil on canvas, 40 x 30 cm, +- 1984

THE PAST...


"The Past is never dead. It's not even past."


"Het Verleden is nooit dood. Het is niet eens voorbij."


"Le passé ne meurt jamais. Il n'est même pas passé."


William Faulkner, 1897 - 1962

Irène Philips - Self Portrait - Oil painting & oil pastel on paper, 21 x 19 cm, 1988
Irène Philips - Photo by Jean Pierre Van den waeyenberg, 1982
Irène Philips - Self Portrait - Graphite pencil on paper, +-1982
Irène Philips - Portrait of Alexander Blok as a child, pencil and wash on paper, 1987
Irène Philips - THE SNOW MASK (from a poem by Alexander Blok), 1988, collage and watercolor on paper, 30 x 28 cm.
Irène Philips - GAMAYUN, The Prophetic Bird (after a poem by Alexander Blok), 1996, collage and oil pastel on paper, 94 x 33 cm.
Irène Philips - GAMAYUN, The Prophetic Bird (after a poem by Alexander Blok), 1996, ceramic, 41 cm.

Between

1980 to 1999

Irène Philips - GAMAYUN, The Prophetic Bird (after a poem by Alexander Blok), 1992, collage and oil pastel on paper, 36 x 33 cm.
Irène Philips - VISION, +-1988, collage and watercolor on paper, 25 x 25 cm.
Irène Philips - SOULS RETROUVÉE, 3 ceramics with oxides, 1994.
Irène Philips - RETRIBUTED SOULS, collage and oil pastels on paper, 99 x 38 cm, 1994.
Irène Philips - THE VOICES IN THE CHOIR, (after a poem by Alexander Blok), gouache on paper, 71 x 51 cm, 1997.
Irène Philips - THE VOICES IN THE CHOIR, (after a poem by Alexander Blok), 12 sculptures in ceramics , 1995-1997
Irène Philips - L'INCONNUE, (based on a poem by Alexander Blok), Ceramics, 1995.
Irène Philips - DANCE MY LIFE, GYPSY, (After a poem by Alexander Blok), 1998, ceramic and also in bronze, 33 cm.
Irène Philips - DANCE MY LIFE, GYPSY, (After a poem by Alexander Blok), 1998, Gouache and Indian ink on paper, 51 x 37.5 cm.

A dreamy and metaphysical universe inspired by the reading of poets - writers such as: 

Een dromerig en metafysisch universum geïnspireerd door de lectuur van dichters - schrijvers zoals:

Un univers onirique et métaphysique inspiré par la lecture de poètes - écrivains tels que:


Alexander Blok, Angelos Sikelianos, Albert Verwey, W.B.Yeats, V.M.Garchine, Stefan George, A.Roland Holst, Anna Akhmatova, Mikhail Lermontov, Edith Södergran, Sylvia Plath,...

Irène Philips - ODE TO THE WOMAN, (After a poem by Stefan George), 1997, Tempera on paper, 45 x 60 cm.
Irène Philips - THE RED FLOWER, (After a novella by W.M.Garsjin), 1997, Tempera on paper, 47 x 61 cm.
Irène Philips - DREAM OF DEAD, (From a poem by Albert Verwey), 1996, Ceramics.
Irène Philips - DREAM OF DEAD, (After a poem by Albert Verwey), 1995, Tempera on paper, 45 x 84 cm.
Irène Philips - DREAM OF DEAD, (From a poem by Albert Verwey), 1995, Ceramics.
Irène Philips - ANANGKE, (After a poem by Albert Verwey), 1994, Tempera on paper, 30 x 50 cm.
Irène Philips - ANANGKE - Ceramics (Based on a poem by Albert Verwey), 1994
Irène Philips - GAMAYUN, (After a poem by Alexander Blok), 1998, Tempera on paper, 90 x 56 cm.
Irène Philips - GAMAYUN, (After a poem by Alexander Blok), 1998, Bronze.
Irène Philips - THE SECOND COMING, (After a poem by W.B. Yeats), Glazed ceramic urn, 1994.
Irène Philips - THE SECOND COMING, (After a poem by W.B. Yeats), Collage and oil pastels, 61 x 21 cm, 1994.
Irène Philips in Atelier Vossem - Foto: Jean Pierre Van den waeyenberg, 1995
Irène Philips, ECHT-PAAR / REAL COUPLE, bronze, 1999
Irène Philips in Atelier Vossem - Foto: Jean Pierre Van den waeyenberg, 1995

METAMORPHOSES


The years 2000 - 2010


ANIMISM


Irène Philips - METAMORPHOSES I: LIFE - LOVE - DEATH, Oil painting on linen canvas, 104 x 142 cm, 2000
Irène Philips - METAMORPHOSES II: LIFE - LOVE - DEATH, Oil painting on linen canvas, 98 x 72 cm, 2001
Irène Philips - THEY LOCKED ME OUTSIDE THE WORLD, Oil painting on paper, 70 x 50 cm, 2002
Irène Philips - THEY LOCKED ME OUTSIDE THE WORLD, Oil painting on paper, 70 x 50 cm, 2002
Irène Philips - THE TREE OF THE GODDESS INANNA - Polychrome wood, 340 cm, 2002
Irène Philips - DIALOGUE WITH YOURSELF - Polychrome wood, 160 cm, 2003
Irène Philips - THE TREE OF THE GODDESS INANNA - Polychrome wood, 360 cm, 2002
Irène Philips - SOLICITUDE OF AN UNKNOWN DIVINITY - Ceramic, 2001
Irène Philips - DIALOGUE WITH YOURSELF - Polychrome wood, 132 cm, 2003
Irène Philips - THEY LOCKED ME OUTSIDE THE WORLD, Oil painting on paper, 70 x 50 cm, 2002
Irène Philips - THE TREE OF THE GODDESS INANNA - Polychrome wood, 340 cm, 2001
Irène Philips - THE TREE OF THE GODDESS INANNA - Polychrome wood, 180 cm, 2001
Irène Philips - THEY LOCKED ME OUTSIDE THE WORLD, Oil painting on paper, 70 x 50 cm, 2002
Irène Philips - THE TREE OF THE GODDESS INANNA - Polychrome wood, 340 cm, 2002
Irène Philips - HIDDEN WATERS or THE LOVERS FROM WATER - Triptych, Oil on canvas, 3 x 60 x 40 cm, 2002
Irène Philips at the studio in Ottenburg, 2002
Irène Philips - Outside studio in Ottenburg, 2002
Irène Philips - THE SPIRIT OF THE TREE - Polychrome wood, 40 cm
Irène Philips - AND SHE CRIED OUT TO THE WOMEN TO ANNOUNCE MY BIRTH TO THE MOUNTAINS AND THE WHOLE OF CREATION (Homage to Angelos Sikelianos), Polychrome wood, 150 cm
Irène Philips - THE PROPHETIC BIRD - Polychrome wood, 100 x 80 cm, 2003
Irène Philips - THE DREAMING FISH - Polychrome wood, 160 cm
Irène Philips - THE OBSERVATOR - Polychrome wood, 60 cm

MEDUSA, INANNA, PEGASUS, DIONYSUS, PASIPHAE, POSEIDON, GORGONIONS, PROMETHEUS, MINOTAUR,...

MYTHICAL CREATURES


Irène Philips - POSEIDON, THE BURNING GOD - Polychromed wood, 189 cm
Irène Philips - PEGASUS, MEDUSA AND THE WATER BEINGS - Polychromed wood, 64 x 38.5 cm
Irène Philips - THE DESIRE OF PASIPHAÉ - Polychromed wood, 70 x 40 cm
Irène Philips - PEGASUS, MEDUSA AND THE MASK OF THE GORGONS - Polychromed wood, 64 x 57 cm
Irène Philips - THE VISION OF MEDUSA - Polychromed wood, 36 x 48 cm
Irène Philips - THE THREE GORGONES - Polychromed wood, 163 cm
Irène Philips - THE MINOTAUR - Polychromed wood, 130 cm
Irène Philips - MEDUSA and POSEIDON, HYPNOSIS - Polychromed wood, 86.5 x 44.5 cm
Irène Philips - DIONYSOS, LE VOYEUR VOYANT - Polychromed wood, 50 x 50 cm
Irène Philips - CARESS - Polychromed wood, 4 x 40 x 20 cm, 2002
Irène Philips - THE HEART OF THE RIVER - Polychromed wood, 70 cm and 60 cm
Irène Philips - THE HOLLOW TREE or THE TWO HALVES - Polychromed wood, 250 cm and 205 cm
Irène Philips - THE FIRE BEARER or PROMETHEUS - Polychromed wood, 74 x 44 cm
Irène Philips - THE STARDER - Polychromed wood, 180 cm
Irène Philips - THE GREAT YES or THE GREAT NO - Polychromed wood, 180 cm, 2001
Irène Philips - DEMON, Homage to Mikhail Lermontov - Polychrome wood, 80 cm, 2004
Irène Philips - THE VULCANOLOGIST - Polychrome wood, 140 cm, 2003
Irène Philips - L'INCONNUE, (based on a poem by Alexander Blok), Polychrome wood, 53 x 40 cm, 2005

TREES are the main source of materials in this work.

They provide me with roots, truncs and branches which, on the conceptual and imaginary levels (so to speak), lead me back and forth from the underworld to the telluric and the spiritual.

They provide me with primeaval images and memories, with life’s energy, with thoughts and feelings; they provide me with the trace of culture.

I choose them as I find them in nature, fallen, yet still whispering their tale.

I pull them back to my working place, pamper them for a while and then, with chisel and paint, I start to extract from their grain and splinters whatever secrets they withhold.

I doubt whether they or I can do much to enlighten the world. But in my dealing with them I find a way to connect to the universe…


Irène Philips, 2004

Irène Philips - MAKE YOUR PAIN INTO A HARP, BECOME A NIGHTINGALE, BECOME A FLOWER 2 (Tribute to Kostas Karyotakis and Maria Polidouri), Polychrome wood, 108 cm, 2004

BOMEN zijn de belangrijkste materiaalbron in dit werk.

Ze voorzien me van wortels, stammen en takken die me, op het conceptuele en denkbeeldige niveau (bij wijze van spreken), heen en weer leiden van de onderwereld naar het tellurische en het spirituele.

Ze voorzien me van oerbeelden en herinneringen, van levensenergie, van gedachten en gevoelens; ze geven me het spoor van cultuur.

Ik kies ze zoals ik ze in de natuur aantref, gevallen, maar toch nog hun verhaal fluisterend. Ik haal ze naar mijn werkplek, vertroetel ze een tijdje en dan, met beitel en verf, begin ik uit hun nerven en splinters de geheimen te halen die ze achterhouden.

Ik betwijfel of zij of ik veel kunnen doen om de wereld te verlichten. Maar in mijn omgang met hen vind ik een manier om verbinding te maken met het universum...

Irène Philips - BREATH OF LIFE, Polychrome wood, 83 cm, 2004
Irène Philips - THE BIRTH OF PEGASUS, polychrome wood, 120 cm, 2004

LES ARBRES sont la principale source de matériaux dans ce travail.

Ils me fournissent des racines, des troncs et des branches qui, sur le plan conceptuel et imaginaire (pour ainsi dire), me font aller et venir du monde souterrain au tellurique et au spirituel.

Ils me fournissent des images et des souvenirs primordiaux, avec l'énergie de la vie, avec des pensées et des sentiments; ils me fournissent la trace de la culture. Je les choisis comme je les trouve dans la nature, tombés, mais chuchotant toujours leur histoire. Je les ramène sur mon lieu de travail, je les chouchoute un moment puis, à coups de burin et de peinture, je commence à extraire de leurs grains et éclats les secrets qu'ils recèlent.

Je doute qu'eux ou moi puissions faire beaucoup pour éclairer le monde. Mais en traitant avec eux, je trouve un moyen de me connecter à l'univers...

Irène Philips in Atelier in Ottenburg. Photo: Jean Pierre Van den waeyenberg, 2005
Irène Philips sculpting outside in Ottenburg, 2007
Irène Philips in Atelier in Ottenburg. Photo: Jean Pierre Van den waeyenberg, 2005

MOON - SUN - EARTH

Isolated on the star of day and that of night, man and woman can only meet on earth in the dance of Hope...

Jacqueline Guisset, Extract from the book on Irène Philips, L'herbe qui tremble - Paris, 2012

Afgezonderd op de hemellichamen van de dag en de nacht, kunnen de man en de vrouw zich slechts ontmoeten op de aarde in de dans van de Hoop...

Jacqueline Guisset, uit het boek over Irène Philips, L'herbe qui tremble - Paris, 2012

Irène Philips - EMBRACE OF THE SUN AND THE MOON - Polychromed wood, 13.5 x 23.5 cm, 2005

Isolés sur l'astre du jour et celui de la nuit, l'homme et la femme ne peuvent se rencontrer que sur la terre dans la danse de l'Espoir...

Jacqueline Guisset, exstrait du livre sur Irène Philips, L'herbe qui tremble - Paris, 2012

Irène Philips - THE BATHING MOON, Polychromed wood, 2004
Irène Philips - BIRTH OF THE COUPLE - Ceramic and polychromed wood, 2003
Irène Philips - ODE À L'AMOUR - Ceramic and polychromed wood, 2004
Irène Philips - MOON GODDESS 1 - Ceramic and polychrome wood, 2004
Irène Philips - THE WAITING - Ceramic and polychrome wood, 2005
Irène Philips - MIDNIGHT SUN, Polychromed wood, 2004
Irène Philips - THE SACRED BED - Ceramic and polychromed wood, 2003
Irène Philips - THE WHITE VIRGIN, Polychromed wood, 2004
Irène Philips - GODDESS OF THE MOON 2 - Ceramic and polychromed wood, 2004
Irène Philips - GOD OF THE SUN - Ceramic and polychromed wood, 2004
Irène Philips - THE JOY - Ceramic and polychromed wood, 2005
Irène Philips - THE ERRANT COUPLE - Ceramic and polychromed wood, 2004
Irène Philips - THE WAY OF MEMORIES - ( After 'The Wolvenweg' of Joseph Coosemans), Tempera on paper, 50 x 80 cm,2002