For decades Janice Nowinski, whose work hangs at Thomas Erben through March 1, has been true to her vision, exploring the traditional motifs of female nudes in simple poses, and painted light within pictorial space. But her images never seem old. Each painting is a new journey into the act of painting, of finding the mark that defines the image, and as such, each painting is an act of courage, and also surprise. Anatomy is distorted, limbs bend backwards like rubber as they grow and shrink in size, some contours are suddenly outlined and emphasized, while others are minimized or lost entirely, and dabs of color support the rhythm of painting but contradict the logic of physical space. These formal decisions are fascinating to discover, but it is the emotional state of vulnerability that ultimately is the strength behind this work. Blotchy facial features, blurry details, seemingly clumsy proportions and anatomy, an unsaturated palette of grays with slight hints of color bring us into a world of sad contemplation, of an awareness of time passing, of the weakness of getting old – but also the strength of perseverance, of the dignity of being human and alive, the treasure that small pleasures like looking in the mirror, lying in bed or getting dressed can bring to our lives. Though appearing as observational paintings, in fact Nowinski works directly from postcards of Old Master paintings and 19th-century erotic photos – and then contradicts their conventions of eroticism, voyeurism and female as object by transforming the images to personal statements of exposed humanity. Comparing Nowinski’s paintings to their art historical antecedents, such as the medieval paintings posted here, can be an intriguing exercise into the creative mind of Janice Nowinski, where we admire the twists of paint, manufactured outlines, exaggerated forms and loss of details, but it is not just form for form’s sake, but the way her quirky manipulations inform the quiet, intimate aura that makes us want to look to begin with.

@janicenowinski @thomaserbengallery