Paggliaccio #5

As the story goes - a woman, seeped in melancholy, went to the doctor to tell him of her plight. The doctor told her to go see the famous clown, Pagliaccio, who is in town for the week - it should fix her right up. The woman sighed, and said “but doctor, I am Pagliaccio”. The facade we impose to mask our vulnerably alienates us from within. Under pressure to be composed, elegant and approachable - women often compromise their own well being for the sake of maintaining appearances. Background Class, poise and artistic flair applied to a theme that makes certain observers uncomfortable: clowns. In this bright, emotion-filled and growing collection, Noura bestows her initial five Pagliaccios with attributes that oppose those uneasy sentiments she held for clowns while growing up. That changed when she came across the inspiring work created by Bernard Buffet. His perspective, sobriety and unveiling of raw emotion he painted into his clowns made her take on a whole new vision that changed how she saw and felt about them. Sourcing that change, she created a five-piece collection that reflects her profoundly personal view of what these characters now mean to her. Being feminine, the Pagliacci reflect the artistic evolution Noura has accomplished with her work, growing as an artist and as a woman in the creative scene. But their most vital feature lies in the façade aspect clowns represent, with make-up covering their faces and, consequently, emotions and thoughts. Painted-on smiles can disguise frowns, and colourful eyes might hide intense sadness and pain. For Noura, this mental health underlining in her collection is of utmost importance and connects directly to how she perceives Buffet’s work. She is a firm believer in self-awareness, self-care and building the internal strength and courage to ask for help when needed. Vulnerability, class, poise, elegance and artistic flair with an overall sentiment of fun. Pagliacci is a testament to Noura’s talent and commitment to follow inspiration wherever it may take her.