Happy to be shown during the spring salon 2022 in Nata Watts Gallery, Copenhagen.
"Attraction" is an artwork created from dried leaves and flower petals by Elen Alien. Being born in Ukraine, a multicultural environment, then constantly moving and traveling a lot, the artists see no need for separation and labeling. On contrary, she aims to unite people together, using natural materials to show that together with nature we form one big organism. “Attraction” refers to the fragment of Michelangelo’s painting, to show that we live in the new spiritual renaissance era and the attention to the human body and soul is renewed through the new experience. Fragmentary depiction makes us think about the people depicted in the painting. Is it a God’s hand ready to help humanity or there are hands of two lowers? No matter what age, nationality, or gender – everyone can see himself in the painting created from flowers. Experiencing the frozen moment depicted in the artwork, the viewer feels that (s)he has everything (s)he needs, and first of all (s)he has support, (s)he is this support. The effect of the frozen moment, the feeling that the viewer participates in the action right now, is enhanced with a white pattern on the top of the painting that reminds us of frost.
“American Beauty” is a part of the “Flover” series showing the female through the perspective of the ambivalent contemporary world, supposedly denying the oppression and profiteering of the body, supposedly welcoming body positive movements, but in fact, strives for eternal youth, resorting to science, cosmetology, medicine, sports, and diets. The “Flover” series mirrors the fact that the world is spinning around our physical body again now but through a new perspective. Contemporary figurative paintings from the “Flover” series have a key role in the material: the flower is a symbol of youth, while its dried petals symbolize an oscillating decay. The body and the background of “American Beauty” are created from roses, referring to the most famous scene from the movie with the same name, which is a tale of liberation, living with satisfaction after you achieved what you want. The idealized female body depicted with dried petals shows a desire to reach an ideal shape and the understanding that it is impossible, the attempt to become a better version of yourself, and the acceptance of your imperfection at the same time. Altogether, these visual symbols show us our bodies through the neo-renaissance perspective, which is opposite to the soulless approach that technology offers us nowadays.
Come to see the "Attraction" original and "American Beauty" print, both available for purchase.