Lara Nickel

www.laranickel.com

About how the physical space of the viewer interacts with the pictorial space of a painting.

My work is about how the physical space of the viewer interacts with the pictorial space of a painting. My subjects (often objects, plants and animals) are representational, life size and have white backgrounds which mimic and emphasize the “neutral” gallery or museum wall. As a result, the subject of the painting is pushed forward into the room, making the room itself the setting of the painting, and making the painting act more as an object. I am interested in the long tradition of illusionistic painting and the different ways to play with the obstacles and limitations this tradition presents; specifically how to keep painting from becoming simply decoration and the wall simply a place to decorate.