I suddenly discover myself as an object in so far as I appear to the Other. - Jean-Paul Sartre
"Art, perhaps especially figurative art, is both subject and object. There are layers to perceive through- from the subject's internal understanding of themselves in a moment, to how they present to the artist, then how the artist interprets the subject and then how they choose to present them. And then we have the viewer. This viewer may read a text, or choose to take what they will from the pieces themselves. And if they do this, they project their own experiences onto it.
My work functions as a "keyhole." Through tightly cropped figurative paintings, I explore the tension between how we intend to be seen and the moment our image is stolen by the observer. I want to create a somewhat uncomfortable space out of its ambiguity where I essentially am transforming my subjects into objects once they are cropped into a surface on a wall.
When I was in high school I was introduced to Jean-Paul Sartre’s concept of Le Regard - the Look. Sartre argued that the moment we are looked at, we cease to be the masters of our own universe and instead become an "object" in the world of another. We "freeze" under the gaze; we perform, we hide, or we arm ourselves.
The subjects of my works are often caught in a state of "Social Armor." A playful moment with a blade, a decorative earring, or the act of grooming becomes a defensive front against others' 'looks'. However, by removing the wider context, the "truth" of the moment becomes fluid. A tongue licking a blade may have been a moment of birthday delight to the subject, but might be perceived provocative by the viewer. This friction - the "theft" of the subject’s intent by the viewer’s projection - is the central heartbeat of the show.
Whether it is a face obscured by leaves or a hand illuminated in the dark, these works capture the "leakage" of the self: small, incidental details that survive even when we try to hide behind a front of something else." - Elise Van Den Brand.
Elise van den Brand lives and works in London. She holds a BFA in Painting from Monash University, Melbourne. Her work has been exhibited internationally, including at Side Gallery, Barcelona, and Shug Gallery, Norwich, and is held in private collections across the UK, USA, and Australia.
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