While many think of embroidery as a type of adornment, there are numerous crafters who are pushing the creative possibilities of this age-old pursuit. French artist Cécile Davidovici has collaborated with film director David Ctiborsky in a series titled La Vie Silencieuse, or “The Silent Life,” which transforms still life scenes into embroidered masterpieces.
Each of these still lifes was produced first as a 3D model by Ctiborsky, after which, Davidovici would embroider the images. Both artists drew inspiration from Italian painter Giorgio Morandi's still lifes and “his ability to make silence vibrate.” Davidovici and Ctiborsky translated this feeling into their own scenes, imbuing the compositions with an eye-catching array of objects and a striking color palette.
Davidovici's unique thread painting style is a result of years of experimentation. She turned toward embroidery after her mother passed away and quickly fell in love with the medium. “It took me some time to realize it, but I was missing the tangible aspect of things,” she explains to My Modern Met. “Making art pieces I can actually touch was a game changer.” She has since carried this passion into her growing portfolio, rendering still lifes and figurative portraits as though they were made with painterly brushstrokes.
Scroll down to see more works from La Vie Silencieuse, and follow Davidovici on Instagram to keep up to date with her latest embroidery projects.