With intense colors and dynamic composition, Heidi Guibord’s “Where I Stand” asks of the artist and viewer, “How do you represent yourself as a woman?” In her latest series of oil paintings, Guibord created an examination of modern feminist work that confronts body imagery and gender and will be on display at the Café la Flore, 1032 Clement Street in San Francisco. A show opening will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, Sept. 19, featuring the music of Jacob Aringo and light refreshments. The event is free and open to the public.
Using still photographs from the artist’s youth, Guibord discovered the way in which she stood – specifically through her knees – represented herself at that particular time. Guibord’s knees have been a source of pain and pride, and carried the weight of her successes and failures in life.
“When I first saw Heidi's work I was blown away,” said the café’s marketing director, Marianna Di Regolo. “I remember one painting I couldn't stop staring at. You really felt like you are apart of the painting. Her use of colors and textures is pretty amazing,”
Guibord discovered that knees and how we stand were an unexpected and surprisingly informative way we communicate a great deal of what we hold inside. Through this series of paintings, it became evident that a woman is not simply confined to a particular body, but also connected to and reflective of the surrounding world, environment and her personal experiences.
These works deal with the locations the artist connected with most in her life, particularly those with the sense of hope when looking at long distances and the horizon, and convey a quiet biography of her life.
Café la Flore is a recently opened neighborhood coffee shop that supports local artists and musicians. Hours at the Café la Flore are 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday thru Friday and 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. For more information, please visit www.heidiguibord.com.