EXHIBITION DATES : In person and online from 7/6–13/7
ENQUIRE ABOUT AVAILABLE WORKS & PRICES : click here
INTRODUCTION :
My work is a journey through the labyrinth of the mind. Painting, to me, is the ultimate rebellion against the constraints of rationality, the alchemical process of making the unconscious conscious. I make use of the ‘mythical‘ to contest dominant power structures, reversing patriarchal power relations and celebrating female desires through a retelling of mythical narratives. I am especially fascinated by origin myths – ideas of primordial chaos and narratives of separation and becoming. Prominent themes in my work include the performativity of the body, the fusion of science and magic, and ongoing environmental crisis as an
existential state.
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In the past three years, I have been developing the sgraffito technique, in which parts of the surface are scratched and removed to expose the underlying layer. I use cold wax encaustic paint, an ancient formula dating back to Greco-Roman antiquity. This is a technique which reveals rather than adds, an archaeological-like process that endows the paintings with a quality of discovery reflecting my work with historical-futuristic mythology.
My paintings are inhabited by a cast of characters—often women—who navigate the shifting sands of desire, oppression, and liberation. Each figure is a vessel for emotion, a mirror reflecting the contradictions and complexities of the human soul. My figures are often anthropomorphic, trapped in the limbo of birth and decay, sometimes grotesque and macabre, sometimes calling for help, longing to be released from the tight universe of the canvas.
Recently, I have been exploring depictions of femininity throughout history, portraying demonesses, witches, and female misfits. One central figure in this body of work is Lilith, Adam’s first wife, the queen of succubus, and the symbol of the disobedient, uncontrollable, and dangerously alluring woman. I take inspiration from myths and historical narratives, which are reinterpreted through queer and feminist perspectives, to create new, alternative futures.
Efrat Merin, 2024
ONLINE CATALOGUE :
“do you dare to step in-
to the vulnerable black, stripped
to the soul with human blindness –
when the full and weeping
moon steps from the shade
of a tumult of mountains –
when, in the fragrant dim,
day’s tree stump transforms
into some nether-worldly other –
when time’s skin is thin and you are
bared – when there is nothing
between you and the Wildest One
whose name is your own?”
EXHIBITION ARTWORKS (CLICK FOR FULL DETAILS) :
BIOGRAPHY :
Efrat Merin is a London-based artist. In her work, she makes use of the mythical to contest dominant power structures, celebrating female desires through a queer retelling of mythical narratives. Prominent themes in her work include the performativity of the queer body, the fusion of science and magic, and the environmental crisis as an existential state.
Efrat has exhibited in solo and group exhibitions across the UK, Europe, and Tel Aviv. Solo shows include ‘Dream. Figure’ at Maya Gallery, Tel Aviv (2020), ‘Anima Mundi’ at Darbyshire Ltd (2023), and ‘Atomic Relations’ at SVA, Stroud (2023). Group exhibitions include shows at venues such as Camden Art Center, Vincent van Gogh Huis Museum, Zundert and Tel Aviv Museum. She graduated from Turps Art School in 2022 and was selected for the Darbyshire Award for Emerging Art. In 2023, she was selected for Bloomberg New Contemporaries. She has been an artist-in-residence at Frans Masereel Centrum (2022) and Van Gogh Huis Zundert (2023). Efrat is the recipient of several grants and awards, including A-N Artist Bursaries (2023) and the Arts Council England DYCP grant (2024). Her work has been featured in publications such as Floorrr Magazine and ArtMaze Mag.