During the early 1980s Juan Davila staged a
series of performances based on the iconography of the Pietà. The Pietà composition, which came to prominence in fifteenth century Italian art, traditionally shows the Virgin Mary lamenting over the body of a dead Christ. More generally, it symbolises human empathy and the pathos of the flesh. Having grown up in the predominantly Roman Catholic country of Chile, Davila is well aware of how the image of the Pietà has been continually re-worked in both art history and popular culture. His versions consciously participate in this process of ongoing appropriation and re-interpretation. In order to underscore this process of reiteration, Davila makes photographic documentation and reproduction an integral part of his performances. Moreover, Davila then adds layers of collage and paint to the surface of the photographic prints. The monumental version held in MGA’s permanent collection clearly demonstrates how Davila brings the photographic document to life as a glimmering, multi-layered surface.
(2014)
A silver dye bleach print is a subtractive positive-to-positive colour photographic process used for the reproduction of colour film transparencies on photographic paper. The prints are made using a triacetate, polyester or resin coated paper support coated with layers of azo (synthetic) dyes mixed with light sensitive silver gelatine emulsion, which are selectively bleached out during the development process. Silver dye bleach prints are characterised by their image clarity, colour saturation and stability. The most commercially successful silver dye bleach product was Ilfochrome (which was also commonly known as Cibachrome).