ANITA THEVISSEN

530 West 25th Street, New York, NY

Belgian artist Anita Thevissen makes watercolor and ink paintings that investigate the psychology of human beings and their responses to life’s circumstances. In Lifeline for example, partially-covered female figures hang from a clothing line, as if suspended in mid-air in a state of existential uncertainty. Living in a Box depicts a naked woman sheltering inside a cardboard box, trying to escape the pressing demands of the outside world. Looking at You and Do I Seduce You show close-ups of female bodies that exude sensuality, yet betray a certain existential uneasiness, as revealed by the positions of their hands or the look in their eyes. Thevissen’s attentive, yet compassionate look unveils the struggles and complexities of our society; caught between artificial stimuli and an inward pull towards self-examination. Her work spurs reflection on our intimate relationship with the environment, ourselves, and others.