where the wild roses grow 2015

Jana Brike made this painting, "where the wild roses grow", using oil paint to create a quietly unsettling scene. I love the way she contrasts the smooth finish of the girl's skin with the rougher texture of the leaves and foliage. It’s like the painting itself is breathing, a real testament to the power of process in artmaking. The leaves around the face are rendered with short, choppy brushstrokes, creating a dense, almost suffocating effect, which is then softened by the dreamy colour palette that Brike uses. Look closely at the way the light catches the girl’s face in the leaves. The way that this part of the picture almost blends with the light sky in the background. I’m reminded of the pre-Raphaelite painters like Millais, who also explored themes of beauty, death, and nature. But Brike brings a contemporary sensibility to these themes, creating a work that is both haunting and strangely beautiful. It's a reminder that art is an ongoing conversation, where artists build upon and challenge the ideas of those who came before them.