
Danse Macabre
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Danse Macabre designs is the brainchild, creative outlet and obsession of English artist Alice Durose. It came into the world as an idea, developing quietly within the brain, and eventually, it grew into what exists today. Follow the blog to get updates and notifications.
Danse Macabre
2w ago
When I first found out about the Specola Museum in Florence it was a great revelation, and felt like a missing puzzle piece had finally been found. Some years ago I purchased the Taschen book ‘Encyclopedia Anatomica’, a beautiful publication filled with amazing images of anatomical, medical waxworks. I bought the book after visiting the Montpellier Museum of Anatomy in 2018 and struggling hugely with the fact that photography was forbidden within the great hall. These images were eventually to be my memento to a place I had waited years to visit and would probably never see again.
Fas ..read more
Danse Macabre
4M ago
Ever since I first spied the image of the gaping mouth of l’Orco and his eyes, relentlessly staring, demanding you search your soul, I knew that Sacro Bosco was an incredibly special place. For many years I’ve dreamed of and hoped to visit this incredible garden, and finally 2024 was the year.
Sacro Bosco lies nestled in the hills of Lazio, in a remote and unassuming area. The charming village of Bomarzo is perched on a hill directly over the garden, and is crowned by the castle of Orsini, built by one of the most powerful families in central Italy during the medieval period. This fantasti ..read more
Danse Macabre
10M ago
Fungi have been one of my great passions in recent years. I have enjoyed photographing fungus whenever I happen upon them and continually challenge myself to improve at identification.
But one thing which I am always striving to do is paint and draw more mushrooms.
One day in mid 2023, in what must have been a particularly surreal day in some strange corner of my mind, I had some rather interesting ideas for a new artwork series.
The series of thumbnail sketches which ensued grew increasingly odd. Things growing out of skulls has long been one of my favourite subjects for art, as pieces such a ..read more
Danse Macabre
1y ago
When Iacopo Meille asked me to collaborate with him on the cover of his first solo EP, the answer was, of course, an enthusiastic 'Yes!'
We began the process with me sending images of various past pieces of artwork to Iacopo for him to judge what kind of cover it might be possible for me to create, and potentially spark some ideas.
Quite quickly he identified a past piece which spoke to him and resonated with the songs and their atmosphere. This artwork was 'Strawberries and Cream', which was an interesting piece in particular for Iacopo to feel a connection to. I created the painting ..read more
Danse Macabre
1y ago
For some time now I’ve wanted to visit the Rollright stones in Oxfordshire. Ive watched Documentaries on the stones, read about them and seen lots of photos, but I hadn’t yet had the chance to pay them a visit myself.
Because 2020 has been the strangest of years to say the least, there's lots I was planning to see and do that probably has little to no chance of happening this year.
However, not one to be easily defeated, the Rollright stones are in a reasonably comfortable driving distance to visit in a day (a 200 mile round trip for me). So, I decided seeing the stones was one goal I wasn’t ..read more
Danse Macabre
1y ago
As 2019 drew to a close I began to reflect on my artwork of the past year and most importantly what I wanted 2020 to hold.
For a while I have been thinking about doing a long running series which highlights some of the amazing sights I have seen in museums and on my travels, specifically curiosities and the weird and wonderful little exhibits which can be easily overlooked by a passer by. I made notes in my 2019 diary about an idea for a ‘Mini Curios’ series, but the idea was in its infancy. As time has marched on I’ve been able to think the idea over in more depth and ultimately decided I wa ..read more
Danse Macabre
1y ago
For many years I have had a passion for historically important sites reflecting our ancient history. Over the years I’ve visited hill forts at Oswestry and the Wrekin in Shropshire, various castles and fortifications across the country, churches, guildhalls and many different parts of our islands history.
In recent years I’ve made a conscious effort to journey to sites associated with our pre-Christian past and the ancient religions of our land. Much of these traditions are shrouded in mystery and are half known truths and stories at best, and many sites have been lost forever, to later devel ..read more
Danse Macabre
2y ago
Nestled in the rolling hills of the Ebbw Valley, in deepest darkest South Wales lies a truly fascinating, and I'm sure to many thoroughly unexpected Museum, in the shape of 'Morbitorium'.
This slice of suburbia has hidden within it a highly unusual gem, which few neighborhoods can boast. A museum and shop packed to the rafters with an overwhelming collection morbid and macabre curiosities.
The unassuming stone cottage, situated in a typical enough Welsh village, has been thoroughly transformed into an immediately outrageous, spooky, kooky landmark. As ghosts trussed up in the front ..read more
Danse Macabre
4y ago
'Back unto the land from whence we came. Bones burrowed deep by decay. And in creep the beetles and creatures of this land. Forever companions in your grave. As you slip from this world, and fade from memory. The cycle is complete, and nature triumphs.' - Danse Macabre.
'Time Enough for the Earth in the Grave' is probably one of the most detailed artworks I have ever attempted. The concept was inspired by the quote from one of my favourite films; Conan the Barbarian. This idea arose through wondering what we can expect from our own time in the grave. From our own decay what life will thrive a ..read more
Danse Macabre
5y ago
I'm so pleased at long last to have finally given my Green Man series the time and attention it deserves. These ideas have laid waiting patiently for so long I had been feeling serious guilt about neglecting them for so many years. But after months of work I can finally say I have done the pieces justice.
Initially I intended to simply create a series featuring as many of my Green Man ideas as possible. However as sketching progressed and the complexity of the pieces grew I decided I would have to limit which ideas I was exploring unless I was willing to dedicate the entire year to the series ..read more