Seven Deadly Sins - Lithography
The 7 Deadly Sins (Text courtesy The Artist Press)
There are 7 lithographs each representing one of the 7 deadly sins as they are manifest in Hibbert's own character:
"Gluttony - The clenched hand and a wine glass refers to crude physical greed and excess. The fist indicates frustration and self-loathing.
Apathy - The Passion Flower refers to Christianity. Also called 'spiritual sloth' in some translations of Aquinas, the artist recognizes this sin in herself disguised as disdain and cynicism - and so the hand signals 'hate' in sign language.
Anger - This characteristic in the artist is identified with violence. The knife forced into flesh refers to self-mutilation - anger experienced as self-destruction.
Pride - The breastfeeding child alludes to basic, instinctual pride in one's children. Hibbert experiences this with dismay as the indication is that the children are of oneself or belong to oneself, and this claiming of another person through the sin of pride is the ultimate denial of their own individuality and separateness.
Lust - The hand raised in shock as a lizard bites its tip. Borrowed from Caravaggio, this use of the lizard as her sign for sexual passion recurs in Erika Hibbert's work. The inference is that the sin of lust may be hazardous and painful, but nevertheless, results in an exquisite serpentine gesture as the hand arches and pulls away.
Avarice - Stupid worldly greed is a green purse and a hand signalling 'love' implicates the artist in this desire to surround oneself with possessions and trappings. The artist, like Aquinas, attributes this sin to the fear of death.
Envy - The tired hand, heavy with want, contains the envious eye that desires that which others have. The mysterious sin with no benefit in it. The origin of discontent." Erika Hibbert, 2003
A series of seven prints sold as a set or as single prints.
Printed in black with additional colour runs, chine collé, embossing and hand colouring added.
Size: 38 x 35.5 cm
Edition size: 35
Price for set: R 16 000 (excl.VAT)
Price per print: R 2 600 (excl.VAT) each
