The Marie Beltrami vernissage – Mice and Slypes
The expression slypeuses (pronounced sly:peuz) is of a recent use (2013), it is used in France mainly by Marie Beltrami to designate a new collection of accessories .
In the world of fairground striptease MB was known to be one of the only artists to be able to do the whole thing without using the side clip but passing the panties by the feet. This shows a good balance, a good health of life and a sharp sense of the spectacular.
In its new series of unusual objects, MB places this accessory on rectangular felt pockets used as handbag… To believe MB this emblem with provocative virtue would be the index of a new way of life, an asserted femininity, daring etc…. That’s probably true. MB will forgive me for finding him a predecessor in the use of the word slip (pronounce slip the old way): the picturesque Edith Boulogne, mother of Alain Delon. In a documentary about the singer Nico, Ms. Boulogne used the expression “slipé” (pronounced {slipé}). The exact phrase was if my memory is good: “when I see my son Alain on TV I know right away if he is well slipped”.
One thing is certain: Marie Beltrami’s slypeuses will all be well slipped: the lingerie piece is stretched to the geometric abstract, a tension that can only be observed on certain circular Brazilian plastic underwear displays, used in boutiques and fairground market stands.
Simon Liberati
