Katinka Lampe

Inspired by the chiaroscuro and candle lit depictions of Baroque artists such as Georges de La Tour and Jan ter Borch, Lampe uses light and shadow to create stylised and staged depictions of her subjects. The artificiality of the scene depicted in this work is increased by the introduction of clothing and accessories chosen by the artist herself, moving further away from the portrait as representation, towards the artist's own visual impression of the model. A patterned garment adorns this portrait: these items, often repositories of personal histories and one’s own individuality, when mediated by the artist become catalysts to explore issues around the process of identity formation. In her practice, Lampe uses a wide array of painting methods, from classical underpainting to layered stencils which, cut from her drawings, are used to confer an uncanny flatness to her subjects. Lampe finishes this painting with large brushstrokes that remove her hand from the work and allow the viewer a greater freedom in the interpretation of her subjects. Through this process Lampe creates a portrait that appear suspended in time, as it at once traverses the realms of figuration and abstraction to question the fragility of human emotions and connections.