This abstract artwork features a striking composition of vibrant, swirling red hues and a hypnotic spiral pattern in black. The concentric circles create a mesmerizing optical illusion, drawing the viewer into the work's mesmerizing, almost psychedelic quality. The artist's skilled use of bold color and dynamic, rhythmic lines suggests a playful exploration of movement, depth, and perception. While the subject matter remains ambiguous, the piece invites the viewer to engage with its captivating visual language and immersive sensory experience, reflecting the artist's intention to challenge traditional notions of representation and elicit an emotive, visceral response. ...
Raphaela Simon is known for her painting, marked by simple, indistinct forms set against monochromatic backgrounds. She employs a multi-stage process, diligently overpainting and altering elements to create a palimpsestic effect. This approach allows colors to shimmer through various layers, enhancing the composition’s subtleties. Often reminiscent of portraiture, her works’ titles reference ordinary objects and motifs, suggesting a hidden figurative potential and engaging the viewer's propensity to assign meaning to abstract forms. Since 2018, Simon has broadened her artistic scope to include the fabrication of intricate fabric objects and figures. Witnessed together, these sculptural entities posit their own stories, whilst simultaneously echoing the tonality of the works on canvas. Simon deftly traverses the fragile boundary between representational and pure abstraction. The layering of oil on her canvases is incredibly important, as it provides these surfaces with a solid, tangible presence. This method, combined with the unruled edges of her abundant stripes, infuses her creations with life and vibrancy, allowing them to resonate as living forms of abstraction with the viewers. ...
Hannah Hoffman, Los Angeles opened in May 2013. The gallery maintains a program of international contemporary artists alongside historical exhibitions with a particular focus on feminist and conceptual practices.
