Study into the Nature of Innocence 

Jana Brike’s enigmatic painting, titled "Study into the Nature of Innocence", presents two young girls on a beach under a dreamy sky. Brike, born in 1980 in Latvia, has a rich understanding of innocence, childhood, and the unsettling transitions of adolescence, themes that resonate powerfully in her work. The painting presents us with complex questions around vulnerability and societal expectations. What does it mean to represent childhood in this way, particularly girls on the cusp of womanhood? The artist challenges the traditional romanticized visions of innocence, interweaving a sense of unease. Brike invites us to consider the gaze, the dynamics of seeing and being seen, and the cultural narratives we construct around the female body. The figures have a dreamlike quality that is both captivating and slightly disturbing. They ask us to confront our own preconceptions about purity and experience. The artist once said of her own work that it explores the “fragility and strength” within us. This work is a poignant reflection on the loss of innocence and the burdens placed on young girls in our culture.