The 'secret' drawings of Jacqueline Kennedy go on display

One of the drawingsquotes John F. Kennefy: "If not us, who? If not now, when?" and gives a fantasy quote from Jackie: "I still love you" Source: Pavel Pepperstein

"The secret drawings of Jacqueline Kennedy" is a solo exhibition by Russian artist Pavel Pepperstein to be held at the Julie Saul Gallery in New York from March 1 - March 5, 2017. Pepperstein has created a collection of 22 drawings commemorating the legendary first lady, all ostensibly signed by Jacqueline, and dated between 1966-73.

"The plot is phantasmagoric, and after the death of Aristotle Onassis, who was her husband after Kennedy’s death, we see Jacqueline living on the island of Skorpios facing a crisis of loneliness," Pepperstein said in an interview to art-and-houses.ru.

"The dress in memory of that day. Drawing by Jackie" by Pavel Pepperstein

"She suffers from obsessions and hallucinations, and psychotherapists advise her to draw," continued the artist. "Jackie creates paintings in different genres, makes all these drawings devoted to Kennedy's assassination, and even writes a play with characters such as Kennedy, his killer Oswald, the killer's killer Jack Ruby, Kennedy's lover, Marilyn Monroe, as well as Aristotle Onassis and the singer Maria Callas, his ex-lover."

The play takes place in Greece, and includes ancient mythological creatures such as centaurs and nymphs. Pepperstein admits that everything is a figment of his imagination and he doesn't know if Jacqueline really had "these kind of emotions."

"John and me early morning 22 November 1963. Jackie" by Pavel Pepperstein

"This new body of work reflects the artists’ ongoing themes of Russian and global politics, the future (Cosmism), eroticism and references ranging from Suprematism to American comics and gangster films," said the press release published by the gallery.

Pavel Pepperstein is one of Russia’s leading artists. His work was shown at Russia's pavilion at the 53rd Venice Biennale in 2009, and his art is currently on display at the Centre Pompidou in Paris as part of the group exhibition, "Contemporary Art in the USSR and Russia, 1950-2000." 

Read more: Supreme talent: Malevich’s ‘Black Square’ marks 100 years

If using any of Russia Beyond's content, partly or in full, always provide an active hyperlink to the original material.