Aletheia - the Greek philosophical term that defines ‘unveiling, uncovering, the Greek notion of Truth
Nikoleta Sekulovic creates in the tradition of Odalisque portraiture, and yet by choosing to paint mothers, she redefines her subject as both parent and muse.
The female form is depicted in a muted palette, devoid of props and distractions. Through this, Sekulovic strips her subject of external expectations, revealing them in a more authentic state as opposed to traditional expressions of sexuality. The looser lines celebrate the imperfections and irregularities of the human body and recall Egon Schiele's Vienna and the minimalism of Gustav Klimt's studies.
'My approach so far has been to focus on less rather than more. I try to use fewer lines and a simple colour palette. I search for ways to bring movement into the contours of the figure or into the skin. I believe the figure needs to breath. It needs to reflect something of the human fabric, which is that we are both orderly as well as complex, angular as well as curved.'
A mother herself, Sekulovic’s process becomes as much about productivity as about reduction. Painting is a time to step back into the studio for still reflection on the different elements of her subject matter, who in turn is pared down and given repose on the canvas. As Sekulovic has observed, ‘muse’ as a noun represents a source of artistic inspiration. But as a verb, it means ‘to think about something carefully and for a long time’.
Sekulovic was born in Rome to a German mother and a Serbian father and is presently working in Madrid. She has exhibited in London, Paris and New York. Her first collection for the Rebecca Hossack Art Gallery, the exhibition's paintings take their titles from the fundamental principles of Greek philosophy. Just as Sekulovic looks back on these basic precepts for inspiration, she in turn presents an unadulterated and honest version of femininity.