NAOMI SAMARA
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In Her Body
Presenting our first solo exhibition with Bali-based artist, Naomi Samara.
‘In Her Body’ will run from 16 October 2020 - 20 November 2020.
Guided by Naomi’s mythical figures, this exhibition examines the female body as a physical entity and challenges the notion of strength in femineity. The strong sense of narrative infused throughout these bodies of work deeply reflect on the experiences we encounter and the roles we are expected to play. As you scroll through this space, the sensual and intimate nature of Naomi’s female forms drives us to detach from external factors governing our perception of life, encouraging us to ultimately come back to ourselves. Projecting internal dialogues into canvas and paper, her work draws attention to process as an exploration into the different facets of human emotion.
Highlighting the imbalance of power between gender roles, the concept of empowerment is nuanced by ‘creatures’ illuminated against a dark backdrop across her canvas works, symbolic of the resilience and hope embodied by women. Naomi builds upon layers of paint swayed by her intuition to create a strong foundation for her female forms. Further captured in the identities of these half-human figures is the transformative nature of our existence. Like an unfinished work, they will continue to morph into changeable forms over time as a metaphor for all the different layers of life, identity and meaning. In her distinctive way, Naomi attempts to redefine what it means to be human through her inquest into the female body.
Using the body as a framework, Naomi begins her brushstrokes by assessing her own physical components. The process of dissecting and disassembling her starting point then comes after, helping her to identify underlying feelings and emotions. Larger than life in scale, the feminine creature portrayed in Mother 4 is her latest assemblage of different mediums surfaced together. Immersing herself in an introspective space, the work interweaves all the ideas and notions which came to her mind during its process. Depth and intensity make for an evocative piece through her use of dark colours, resulting in a beautifully haunting disposition of the female form and her companion.
Naomi’s works appear to ask, where does our strength and power come from? How can this be projected into everything else? Through Mother 1’s enticing gaze, she seeks to question and encourage us to look deep within to find our own answers. ‘In Her Body’ denotes in itself – a process of connecting with one’s soul, of embodying the core power stored within us.
“I consider my body as a medium. Before I start drawing or painting, I assess and utilise my body to express the feeling and impulse I am trying to get across. It’s about finding that internal dialogue within the self because I believe that there is still so much to discover and uncover within us. Even though it starts with me as an individual, I feel like it’s an extension to everyone else’s experiences.
- Naomi
“I really try to tackle the idea of power through my work because it is such a loaded concept. What does it mean to be powerful? I feel like being born and raised in Indonesia as a woman, I have become aware that power comes in a very different form. So I always contemplate on our ability to give birth and to give life. This is something I always try to address because that true sense of core power is sometimes, if not most times, lost in translation.”
- Naomi
