The prominent New York-based Kiwi artist that graces the cover of our Autumn Issue, Natasha Wright, is known for her work that explores the dichotomies of womanhood to stunning effect — with a message and métier that has evolved in a captivating way.
Living and working in New York for nearly a decade, the New Zealander has developed a distinct creative language that marries various iterations of the female form with the rich qualities of oil paint, her pieces, despite engaging with their subject in different ways, always drawing the onlooker in for their urgent brushstrokes, evocative colours, layered techniques and compelling forms.
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Comprising a number of expressive works, this exhibition — dubbed Les Biches, redresses the depiction of woman-as-subject throughout history, exploring concepts of gender and sexuality. Across a series of large-scale works, her figures emerge as powerful beings that subvert performed and projected ideas of womanhood, fusing figuration and abstraction in intricately layered compositions.
Utilising neo-expressionism, vivid colour and a bold use of line, Wright’s depiction of the female form is that of strength and virtue. Each artwork has been built-up in layers with broad swathes of thick oil paint delivering a captivating tactility, while bright pops sit in stunning contrast against the paintings’ dark backgrounds — the female figures inhabiting a medial space that links the past and present. There is a classical influence here, but ultimately, these works are tethered to the now, inspiring us to reflect on the power and vulnerability of women.
On at Sanderson Contemporary now until the 12th of May, Wright’s exhibition is certainly one you do not want to miss.
