Midwest
Spotlight Artist
Ellen Hanson
Midwest
Artist Statement
My paintings are about feeling exposed and vulnerable. About watching and being watched. The subjects, ranging from myself figures excerpted from historical paintings, reality TV stars, and cam girls, are all depicted during intimate moments. These figures, usually aware of their roles, have a strong claim to agency but are unsure if their sexuality will be used against them. Taking the form of shaped canvases, my paintings mimic windows and folding screens to emphasize the illusion of the image and to stress the role of a watcher/viewer in a way that questions the nature of privacy.
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