Dorian Fitzgerald, Weltverbesserungssyndrom, installation view at Clint Roenisch Gallery. Photo courtesy of Clint Roenisch Gallery.
The title of the exhibition, Weltverbesserungssyndrom, roughly translated to World Improvement Syndrome, refers to a “kind of narcissistic personality disorder” where the person strives to improve the lives of others not out of selflessness, but out of a need to embolden themselves. For Valerian Rybar, rightfully the world’s most expensive decorator, this meant individualizing each of his clients’ spaces and parties with overwhelming extravagance. He would draw in expert artisans from around the world “who did anything from paint Medieval tapestries on blank walls to create mother-of-pearl panels for a bathroom” (The New York Times). He even spent a year organizing a party for Mr. and Ms. Patino at their 200-acre Portuguese estate, sparing absolutely no expense and working every little detail to perfection. Though the patrons and their guests were certainly more than pleased with the opulent quality of his works, Rybar himself garners a great deal of notoriety and wealth, which was even further embodied in his personal lifestyle.
Dorian Fitzgerald, Marie-Hélène Naila Stephanie Josina de Rothschild and Oskar Dieter Alex von Rosenberg-Rédé, 3rd Baron von Rosenberg-Redé at The Surrealist Ball, Chateau de Ferrieres, 1972, 2014, acrylic paint, acrylic caulk, acrylic transfer, GAC 800 on canvas mounted on wood, 60″ x 30″. Photo courtesy of Clint Roenisch Gallery
Dorian Fitzgerald’s show orients around this notion of Weltverbesserrungssyndrom. “Salon, Apartment of Valerian Rybar and Jean-François Daigre, Rue du Bac, Paris”, the most monumental work in the collection, delves into the luxurious domestic life of Rybar, one that equalled, if not exceeded, his lavish work for his clientele. Over a year in the making, Fitzgerald perfectly captures the scene with amazingly realistic detail: capturing every glimmer off of the golden accents, the radiance from the candles and lamps, and most impressively, the brilliant reflections in the mirrored walls and ceiling. The perspectival depth paired with the overwhelming ornateness and sheer size not only draws in the audience, but immerses them into a separate space, as if walking directly into Rybar’s home and share his perspective firsthand.
Dorian Fitzgerald, Salon, Apartment of Valerian Rybar and Jean-François Daigre, Rue du Bac, Paris, 2015, acrylic paint, acrylic caulk, acrylic transfer, GAC 800 on canvas mounted on wood, 108″ × 132″. Photo courtesy of Clint Roenisch Gallery.
Fitzgerald’s adjacent works are just as resonant as the first. “Greater Kudu, Army and Navy Club (“The Rag”), Pall Mall, London” depicts the head of kudu whose horns had grown around and back into its own skull, that was then shot, stuffed and mounted in a London gentleman’s club. Trophy game has long been a persisting tradition that serves to bolster a man’s prestige, particularly with such a rare, endangered creature. Although It may be the smallest and least decorative piece, it stands as a subtle yet anchored accompaniment to the central theme.
Dorian Fitzgerald, Greater Kudu, Army and Navy Club (“The Rag”), Pall Mall, London, 2015, acrylic paint, acrylic caulk, acrylic transfer, GAC 800 on canvas, 36″ x 24″. Photo courtesy of Clint Roenisch Gallery.
There is also the portrait of “Henry Cyril Paget, 5th Marquess of Anglesey, Earl of Uxbridge, circa 1900”, a reputable British aristocrat who, like Rybar, was accustomed to a very indulgent lifestyle. In this instance, he is portrayed in one of his exquisite robes adorned with jewels, precious metals, and rich fabrics. Ironically, his generous inheritance of £110,000 (£55 million today) was depleted because of his frivolous spending, so he was then forced to auction off his 17,000 possessions to sustain himself and his status. Aristocracies are historically viewed as consisting of societies’ best and brightest, whose entrepreneurial ventures and investments benefit everyone, therefore their wealth is a rightly-deserved measure of their virtue just as much of their success. However, Paget certainly did not pursue this ideal, instead squandering his wealth on his excesses. Fitzgerald’s representation may use a monochrome palette, as if simulating an early photograph, however the subject’s luxuriousness remains emphatic.
Dorian Fitzgerald, Henry Cyril Paget, 5th Marquess of Anglesey, Earl of Uxbridge, circa 1900, 2015. Photo courtesy of Clint Roenisch Gallery.
In its essence, Weltverbesserungssyndrom examines the frivolity and indulgence that stems from a narcissistic approach to success; while others from an outward perspective appreciate the degree of laboriousness and esteem, moguls like Rybar and Paget often employ this recognition to glorify their own integrity.
Simon Termine
*Exhibition information: Dorian Fitzgerald: Weltverbesserungssyndrom, October 23 – December 19, 2015, Clint Roenich Gallery, 190 Saint Helens Avenue, Toronto. Gallery hours: Wed – Sat, 12 – 6 pm.