Sarah Margnetti

Sarah Margnetti's edition consists of two etchings that bridge the gap between human anatomy and architecture. The motifs are inspired by manuals on the production of ornamental architectural features and, in particular, the compilation “Le style dans la peinture decorative” by the French civil engineer Paul Planat (1839-1911).

“Nose moldings” is based on the formal analogy between the nose and ornamental moldings or balustrades. While the nose is often mocked in caricatures, the artist celebrates the variety of forms of our olfactory organ with benevolent simplicity and precision. The architectural reliefs are represented by more or less dense hatchings, a technique typical of copperplate engraving to suggest volume and shadow.

“Body moldings” also refers to the illustrations in Paul Planat's compendium, though the print evokes the cinematographic imagery of comics as well: thus, the composition, divided into panels, suggests a chronological sequence of actions. The enlarged representations of sensory organs, such as the nose and ears, function like the close-ups applied in film making. The straight lines drawn across the entire width of the individual panels are reminiscent of motion lines, giving the whole image a special dynamic. The body parts depicted are intimate and full of sensuality. Unlike ancient statues and classical architecture, where the harmony of proportions is crucial, Margnetti's bodies are not idealized, which can be read as an ode to the diversity of bodies and shapes.

The embedding of body fragments in architectural structures and the use of stylistic means of “trompe-l'oeil”, such as the painterly imitation of marble, fabric, or wood, are recurring features in Sarah Margnetti's work. These are often metaphorical representations that take a critical look at social norms. This is particularly vivid in the figure of the “caryatid”, a column adorned with feminine features that Margnetti appropriated to reflect the supportive role of women in family and society.

Sarah Margnetti, after studying fine arts at ECAL in Lausanne and HEAD in Geneva, completed a technical training in decorative painting at the Institut Supérieur Van der Kelen-Logelain in Brussels. She is a laureate of the Manor Art Prize Vaud (2022), as part of which she presented a solo exhibition at the MCBA Lausanne and the book “Sintonia” was published. Further solo exhibitions were shown at La Villa du Parc, Annemasse (2019) and at SALTS, Basel (2017).