Tableau
‘Tableau’ describes a painting or photograph in which characters are arranged for a picturesque effect, acting entirely oblivious to the viewer.
In painting and still photography, a ‘tableau’ refers to a carefully composed scene in which characters are arranged to create a visually striking and dramatic effect. In a tableau, artists meticulously pose, costume, and often use theatrical lighting to recreate a painting or a scene from art history or literature. The individuals in these posed scenes remain still and silent, akin to a frame within a painted canvas, while at times, a wooden frame outline may be used as a visual reference.
On the stage, a tableau denotes a moment when all the characters in a performance freeze for about thirty seconds before resuming their actions as before. This genre of artistic expression reached its peak in popularity in eighteenth-century Europe.
10 results found for "Tableau"
Gregory Crewdson – 25 years of Twilight
On the 25th anniversary of landmark series Twilight, revisit Gregory Crewdson's supernatural vision of suburbia and collect a trio of limited edition photographic prints.
Curated by Julian Schnabel
Palazzo-dwelling painter and filmmaker Julian Schnabel is back. This time, with a selection of original works by artists from his own collection.
Stickymonger
Joohee Park, aka Stickymonger, (she/her) was born in South Korea and is now based in Brooklyn, New York.
Artist Bag
Take art to the streets with a limited edition tote by Cleon Peterson. Five artist bags created in collaboration with re-wrap present the opportunity to collect work by Avant Artists in a functional, real-world ready format. For his bespoke design, Peterson encircles all four sides of a rectangular tote with a minimalist wartime tableau in black and beige.re-wrap is a social enterprise with 20 years of expertise creating hand-made, organic cotton tote bags and textile products in close partnership with women and farmers in South India.
Suburban Dreams
Aaron Johnson brings his cosmic visions back to earth with a subversive take on suburbia.Palm trees and little bungalows, leisure shirts and sunburns; archetypal California underpins the otherworldly scene. Fluid figures emerge from glowing energy fields of colour, created by the artist's signature soak stain technique. While monstrous, the characters– and the tableau they inhabit – are spiked with humour. A sense of normalcy disrupts the figuration; kids are glued to the TV, bridging the gap between the real and imagined.“I’m thinking about the idyllic idea of wholesome American life in the suburban dream – we all know there’s weird stuff lurking behind the surface.”
Water makes up most of the human body (pink)
Face Oka parodies the classic pin-up with a tongue-in-cheek take on portraiture.Oka's fondness for vibrant colour is realised in four fluorescent finishes, each drawing focus to the hourglass figure of a doll-like woman. She’s smiling, but only because her simply-drawn face is upside down – suggesting discomfort with her objectification. A pair of jugs contribute to an assembly of visual puns that gradually reveal themselves upon inspection.
A mocking tableau, Water makes up most of the human body embodies Oka's distinctive sense of humour and exploration of overt sexuality.Join us on Avant Arte Collective on September 15th to be guided through the production process by printmaker Tom. Face Oka will join the event to answer your questions and discuss the edition.
Water makes up most of the human body (yellow)
Face Oka parodies the classic pin-up with a tongue-in-cheek take on portraiture.Oka's fondness for vibrant colour is realised in four fluorescent finishes, each drawing focus to the hourglass figure of a doll-like woman. She’s smiling, but only because her simply-drawn face is upside down – suggesting discomfort with her objectification. A pair of jugs contribute to an assembly of visual puns that gradually reveal themselves upon inspection.
A mocking tableau, Water makes up most of the human body embodies Oka's distinctive sense of humour and exploration of overt sexuality.Join us on Avant Arte Collective on September 15th to be guided through the production process by printmaker Tom. Face Oka will join the event to answer your questions and discuss the edition.
Water makes up most of the human body (green)
Face Oka parodies the classic pin-up with a tongue-in-cheek take on portraiture.Oka's fondness for vibrant colour is realised in four fluorescent finishes, each drawing focus to the hourglass figure of a doll-like woman. She’s smiling, but only because her simply-drawn face is upside down – suggesting discomfort with her objectification. A pair of jugs contribute to an assembly of visual puns that gradually reveal themselves upon inspection.
A mocking tableau, Water makes up most of the human body embodies Oka's distinctive sense of humour and exploration of overt sexuality.Join us on Avant Arte Collective on September 15th to be guided through the production process by printmaker Tom. Face Oka will join the event to answer your questions and discuss the edition.
Water makes up most of the human body (blue)
Face Oka parodies the classic pin-up with a tongue-in-cheek take on portraiture.Oka's fondness for vibrant colour is realised in four fluorescent finishes, each drawing focus to the hourglass figure of a doll-like woman. She’s smiling, but only because her simply-drawn face is upside down – suggesting discomfort with her objectification. A pair of jugs contribute to an assembly of visual puns that gradually reveal themselves upon inspection.
A mocking tableau, Water makes up most of the human body embodies Oka's distinctive sense of humour and exploration of overt sexuality.Join us on Avant Arte on September 15th to be guided through the production process by printmaker Tom. Face Oka will join the event to answer your questions and discuss the edition.
New Soul
Erik Parker's vivid montages synthesise contemporary portraits with the hyper-saturation of modern media.New Soul draws us into the world of a distorted couple, awash with abstract shapes in a mesmerising acid-hued tableau. Art historical references are juxtaposed by gaudy cartoon figures, telling of Parker’s ability to unite a myriad of styles and references. Each print is finished with a unique, hand-painted silhouette and textured gloss, completing Parker’s sensory explosion.
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Your questions, answered
We collaborate with artists to create both limited editions and works on paper.
A limited edition is a set number of similar or identical artworks. The size of the edition denotes the total number of artworks that will ever be made, underscoring their value.
Framing options vary for each piece and are listed on the individual artwork pages. Our standard glazing offer is a minimum 90% UV acrylic plexiglass, or you can upgrade to an anti reflective Optium museum plexiglass.
Yes, 100%. We work directly with our artists to create editions that accurately represent their body of work. Additionally, every artist personally reviews and approves their final editions.
Every artwork is signed or stamped, and individually numbered. You will also receive a stamped and numbered certificate of authenticity.
No—the copyright is not transferred to the purchaser of the edition.
All the ins and outs can be found on our orders and shipping page.