SHVIL, Donna

For the past few years I have been investigating figurative painting and its concerns with identity and recognition. This investigation also includes photographic representation that offers alternatives to the painting tradition and allows for a new reading of portraiture.

The character of my work expands upon the idea of the body with overlapping relationships of intense light, direct observation, photographic distortions, simplifications, and emotional engagement. The painted figure is a metaphor for personal disclosure and intimate response, and presents a reciprocal relationship between the viewer and the subject – a recalling of shared experiences and associations. The portrait- like presentation enhances the psychological realism – becoming a window or mirror that elucidates, strengthens, reveals vulnerabilities, broaches both the private and the public – an opportunity for authentic encounters interwoven with reflection and memory.

Available work :