Gouache sur papier, 2021
I really like crabs. They are animals of the interstices. Between sea and land, feminine and masculine, terror and cuteness, this crustacean with claws is walking sideways. Even the Tropic of Cancer - crab in Latin - is hesitant; its geographic position varies from year to year. You never really know what to expect from this critter, it can snap at any time. Lying in between its claws is a risky business.
Just as Pigalle represented the Marquise de Pompadour bare chested to demonstrate her friendship, Estée shows a woman swinging between these two threats, with a half sun and half moon head.
In modern astrology, Cancer’s sign is represented by two claws which can also refer to the nourishing breast of a generous mother. Lifted through the sky, this purple naked woman becomes a constellation. It makes you wonder which of the two beings is more of a crab.
- Sevia Pellissier