Kills & Kisses:
6 decades of Bond Girls
Giclée print on German etching paper
Hand finished with 23K gold leaf
Signed by the artist, sold unframed
Limited edition of 20
Paper size A0 (84 x 119 cm)
£900.00
If you prefer to pay via a bank transfer – please email info@arinaorlova.com
Shipping:
The artwork is shipped rolled up in a tube
Shipping timeframe: 3 weeks
If the order is required by a specific date before purchasing — please contact the artist before making a purchase
Story behind the artwork:
The works are presented in the visual language of the religious iconographic traditions of Byzantium and ancient Russia. In 21st century western society film characters often become modern icons attracting an army of “new worshippers”. The cult of celebrity has usurped religious belief, saints are no longer idolized, a new set of icons has emerged - perfect in their fulfilment of their own aspirations. Whereas Sunday church services were once a feature of cultural life now many cannot imagine a bank holiday without the re-run of a Bond film.
Just as in Byzantine iconography, where each colour has its own value and meaning, so is there a layering of symbolism within these works. The gold painted background represents both the neither here nor there of a nightless eternity and Jill Masterton’s death by gold paint in Goldfinger. Indeed Gold is a continuing theme throughout the Bond world. Red is widely recognized as the colour of courage and sacrifice, in Christianity it is the liturgical color for the feast of martyrs, representing the blood of those who suffered death for their faith.
To highlight the iconic status of the characters their facial features have been removed. Despite their removal one can still recognise each incarnation of Bond and each Bond Girl. Defacing also serves to transfer the focus from the individual on to the qualities that capture the zeitgeist of their time such as changes in fashion and physique.
The Bond franchise shows no sign of decline, it continues to adapt and reflect the changes within society, holding a mirror up to our world and reflecting back the ideal….with a gold background. There will be more Bonds and he will be accompanied by more girls…
All Bond Girls in the project (1962–2022):
Honey Ryder (1962); Tatiana Romanova (1963); Pussy Galore (1964); Domino Derval (1965); Kissy Suzuki (1967); Tracy Bond (1969); Tiffany Case (1971); Solatoire (1973); Andrea Andreas (1974); Mary Goodnight (1974); Anya Amasova (1977); Holly Goodhead (1979); Melina Havelock (1981); Octopussy (1983); May Day (1985); Kara Milovy (1987); Lupe Lamora (1989); Pam Bovier (1989); Natalya Simonova (1995); Xenia Onatopp (1995); Paris Carver (1997); Wai Lin (1997); Christmas Jones (1999); Elektra King (1999); Jinx (2002); Miranda Frost (2002); Solange Dimitros (2006); Vesper Lynd (2006); Camille Montes (2008); Strawberry Fields (2008); Eve Moneypenny (2012); Severene (2012); Lucia Sciarra (2015); Madeleine Swan (2015); Paloma (2021); Nomi (2021).