Francien Krieg - Hidden thoughts

I am Francien Krieg, a Dutch figurative painter. For more than 25 years, the human body has been central to my work. I studied at the Royal Academy of Art, The Hague, and further developed my painting at the Vrije Akademie. My work is exhibited internationally and selected for the Figurativas competition at MEAM in Barcelona. In 2023 I achieved second place in Painting of the Year. Recently I was among the 25 finalists for Artist of the Year 2027. For years I mostly painted older women in my series Precious Bodies, about which a book appeared in 2018. These paintings deal with aging, visibility, and the narrow beauty ideals by which we view bodies. What moves me are the traces of a lived life: changing skin, a characteristic posture, the presence of someone who is more than her appearance. In recent years I have also looked at young men and the insecurity of puberty. In portraits, figures in water, boxers, and boys with parts of armor I explore the tension between vulnerability and the expectation to be strong. Protection can offer safety, but it can also become a weight you carry with you. Although the ages of my subjects differ, the questions remain connected. What does a body reveal? What are we trying to hide? How much space do we give each other to change, age, or not know for a moment? The works in this duo auction arise from these questions. I seek beauty in which discomfort and imperfection may also exist. In moments when a glance or a gesture lets something be felt for which words fail.

Estimate:£1,521.21

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