My work is a journey through the labyrinth of the mind. Painting, to me, is the ultimate rebellion against the constraints of rationality, the alchemical process of making the unconscious conscious. I make use of the mythical to contest dominant power structures, reversing patriarchal power relations and celebrating female desires through a queer retelling of mythical narratives. I am especially fascinated by origin myths – ideas of primordial chaos and narratives of separation and becoming. Prominent themes in my work include the performativity of the queer body, the fusion of science and magic, and environmental crisis as an existential state.

In the past three years, I have been developing the sgraffito technique, in which parts of the surface are scratched and removed to expose the underlying layer. I use cold wax encaustic paint, an ancient formula dating back to Greco-Roman antiquity. This is a technique which reveals rather than adds, an archaeological-like process that endows the paintings with a quality of discovery reflecting my work with historical-futuristic mythology. My paintings are inhabited by a cast of characters—often women—who navigate the shifting sands of desire, oppression, and liberation. Each figure is a vessel for emotion, a mirror reflecting the contradictions and complexities of the human soul. My figures are often anthropomorphic, trapped in the limbo of birth and decay, sometimes grotesque and macabre, sometimes calling for help, longing to be released from the tight universe of the canvas.

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Recently, I have been exploring depictions of femininity throughout history, portraying demonesses, witches, and female misfits. One central figure in this body of work is Lilith, Adam’s first wife, the queen of succubus, and the symbol of the disobedient, uncontrollable, and dangerously alluring woman. I take inspiration from myths and historical narratives, which are reinterpreted through queer and feminist perspectives, to create new, alternative futures.

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