Nabila Ayu Aviani

The following painting titled, “Yearning” attempts to explore the notion of the human experience, questioning the philosophical aspects of identity, or perhaps lack thereof. This grotesque self-portrait blurs the line between abstraction and figuration, making it an abstract figurative painting and the concept of the “gaze” is of utmost importance as seen from the figure’s eyes gazing hauntingly into the viewer. Through the figure’s haunting gaze, there is a sensation of “yearning” in those eyes and the fact that the rest of the figure is covered with fast and expressive brushstrokes points at a lack of identity – a yearning for identity, a yearning for recognising oneself, and ultimately a yearning for understanding oneself. There certainly is a sense of expression in this self-portrait through the striking use of expressive brushstrokes and the main use of the colour red. Definitely, there is a hint of passionate anger, confusion, a sense of experiencing, feeling, and an inability to cope with these jumbling emotions

To see more of my works, please check out my website: https://nabilaayu.com/

Yearning