Picture this: Sophie Kuijken

While Sophie Kuijken has been active as an artist for years, it is the first time she has stepped out of the seclusion of her studio to present her paintings to the public. The slow working process through which her work evolves is the main reason why it has never been exhibited before. Sophie Kuijken’s art maintains a level of inertia that conflicts with our present-day rapid consumption of images. Therefore, it is difficult to associate her work with the spirit of our times, giving it, in a sense, an air of timelessness.

At first glance, Sophie Kuijken’s works look like meticulously executed realistic portraits. Her seemingly archaic working method is reminiscent of illustrious examples from art history. The realistic technique she uses is deceptive. The people portrayed are not historical figures or acquaintances of the artist, nor are they anonymous individuals one might encounter on the street. Due to subtle morphological changes, the human figures that populate Sophie Kuijken’s works are otherworldly and seem to exist outside of time. Their strange physical appearance and often confrontational icy gaze have a strange and even disturbing effect on the viewer.