She’s a wallflower! Artist ‘disappears’ by painting her body to match the colourful backdrop
By Lauren Paxman
At first glance, Cecilia Paredes’ artwork just looks like pictures of particularly colourful wallpaper. But look a little closer and the bold, floral images start to take on a human form.
The Peruvian artist experiments with her own body by painting designs on herself to blend into various backgrounds.
In the past, she has transformed herself into animals, plants or her surroundings simply by using body paint.
Now you see her: Often Cecilia Paredes’ hair is the only thing that gives her form away in her artworks
Now you don’t: Peruvian artist Ms Paredes’ whole body fades into the background
Her latest work sees her fade into the background in a series called ‘Landscapes’ and it has proved so popular that her website has crashed because of the volume of people wanting to get a closer look at the images.
The collection shows parts of her body – mainly her back and her hands – painted in the same design as the wallpaper she is standing infront of.
Working just like camouflage, the effect makes it hard to distinguish Ms Paredes from the wallpaper.
Her hair is often the only thing that makes her form visible.
Working just like camouflage, the paint effect makes it hard to distinguish Ms Paredes’ hands from the wallpaper
Absract design: This striking image features a pleated skirt which was made from the same wallpaper as the backdrop
Highlights from the collection of photographs see the Peruvian artist’s legs and skirt blending into the yellow abstract wallpaper; her back decorated with pink flowers and painted head to toe in large leaves and lilies.
Ms Paredes, a mother-of-two who lives in Philadelphia with her husband, composer Jay Reise, said: ‘I wrap, cover or paint my body with the same pattern of the material and "re-present" myself as part of the landscape.
‘The illusion of "disappearing" into the landscape that surrounds me is very exciting.’
Ms Paredes says: ‘I wrap, cover or paint my body with the same pattern of the material and "re-present" myself as part of the landscape’
Hidden hands: This striking wallpaper is rendered all the more dramatic becaue of the arms that are pointing at the flowers
Changing perspectives: The photographs will change the way you look out outdated wallpaper
Lady in Red: The most common pose in the photographs is this one, with Ms Paredes’ painted back facing the camera
Surrounded: For some of the pictures, the artist has even covered the floor in wallpaper
Colour coordination: Ms Paredes rests her arms on top of each other – to make a perfect red flower – in this shot
Golden lady: Ms Paredes is painted with a black and gold motif and her body is decorated to match the wallpaper you can see a glimpse of to the left of the photograph.
