What are the boundaries of portraiture, and what effects can be achieved through deformation and distortion? Ewa Juszkiewicz’s work revolves around this question, challenging figurative traditions and confronting the stereotyped perception of female beauty in classical European painting. In her portraits, made in a painting style reminiscent of the works to which they refer, faces are transformed into masks. This deliberate distortion allows Juszkiewicz to prioritize elements such as symbolism, imagination, animal and supernatural, over realism. As viewers engage with these portraits, they are encouraged to re-imagine the true face hiding behind the mask, venturing into a journey through uncharted conceptual and stylistic territories.
