{"title":"Marlene Dumas","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"artist-looking-at-herself-marlene-dumas","title":"Artist Looking at Herself - Marlene Dumas","description":"\u003cp\u003eA raw, expressive mixed media work by Marlene Dumas, exploring the psychological act of self-reflection through fluid lines and gestural colour.\u003c\/p\u003e\n    \u003cp\u003eMarlene Dumas is known for her exploration of the human figure, identity, and the psychological weight of representation. In this work, titled Artist Looking at Herself, Dumas employs a raw, immediate approach to the act of self-reflection. The composition is sparse, prioritising the gestural quality of the marks over a finished, polished aesthetic. By combining charcoal or graphite lines with washes of colour, she creates a sense of instability that mirrors the subjective nature of self-perception.\n\nThe figure is rendered with a degree of abstraction, suggesting a body in motion or a state of internal flux. Dumas often draws from a personal archive of photographs and media imagery, yet here the focus remains on the physical process of drawing. The inclusion of the title in the artist's own hand at the bottom of the sheet serves as a direct address to the viewer, grounding the work in the specific context of the artist's practice. The use of negative space is deliberate, allowing the paper to function as an active element within the composition rather than a passive background.\n\nThis piece captures the tension between the artist as the observer and the artist as the subject. The brushwork is fluid, with deep blues and earthy tones providing a stark contrast to the lighter areas of the page. By avoiding traditional portraiture conventions, Dumas invites a consideration of how we construct our own image. The work functions as a meditation on the vulnerability inherent in the creative process, stripping away artifice to reveal the mechanics of looking. It is a characteristic example of her ability to condense complex emotional states into a singular, evocative visual statement.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Marlene Dumas","offers":[{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ -","offer_id":58036149682511,"sku":null,"price":28.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58036157088079,"sku":null,"price":35.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58036157120847,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ B2 (50x70 cm) \/ -","offer_id":58036157153615,"sku":null,"price":50.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A1 (59.4 x 84.1  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58036157186383,"sku":null,"price":55.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0833\/9292\/1935\/files\/Artist-Looking-at-Herself_Poster_CompositorV1_1782265470354.jpg?v=1782265756"},{"product_id":"the-last-supper-marlene-dumas","title":"The Last Supper - Marlene Dumas","description":"\u003cp\u003eA contemporary reinterpretation of a religious subject, this work by Marlene Dumas uses gestural brushwork and ethereal forms to explore themes of memory and identity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n    \u003cp\u003eMarlene Dumas, a South African artist based in the Netherlands, is known for her exploration of human identity, mortality, and the psychological weight of historical imagery. In this work, she engages with the traditional religious subject of the Last Supper, yet she strips away the conventional narrative of the disciples and the central figure of Christ. Instead, the composition focuses on the atmosphere and the emotional residue of the event.\n\nThe lower portion of the canvas is dominated by horizontal bands of warm, saturated colour, suggesting a table or a surface, rendered with loose, gestural brushwork. Above this, the space is filled with a cluster of pale, organic forms that resemble floating heads or ethereal entities. These shapes are painted with a thin, fluid application of paint, contrasting with the more opaque, layered colours below. The grey background provides a neutral, almost clinical setting, which forces the viewer to confront the ambiguity of the figures.\n\nDumas often works from photographs, media clippings, and personal archives, reinterpreting these sources to question how images shape our understanding of reality. By deconstructing a scene as iconic as the Last Supper, she invites a reconsideration of the relationship between the sacred and the mundane. The painting avoids a literal depiction, opting for a subjective interpretation that prioritises the visceral experience of the viewer over historical accuracy. The lack of defined features on the floating forms creates a sense of anonymity, suggesting that the themes of loss, communion, and memory are universal rather than tied to a specific theological moment. This piece demonstrates her ability to balance technical restraint with an emotive, raw approach to the canvas, maintaining a focus on the human condition through a lens of abstraction.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Marlene Dumas","offers":[{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ -","offer_id":58036155973967,"sku":null,"price":28.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58036162134351,"sku":null,"price":35.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58036162167119,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ B2 (50x70 cm) \/ -","offer_id":58036162199887,"sku":null,"price":50.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A1 (59.4 x 84.1  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58036162232655,"sku":null,"price":55.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0833\/9292\/1935\/files\/The-Last-Supper_Poster_CompositorV1_1782265598073.jpg?v=1782265911"},{"product_id":"defining-in-the-negative-marlene-dumas","title":"Defining in the Negative - Marlene Dumas","description":"\u003cp\u003eA striking ink and wash work by Marlene Dumas, featuring a reclining figure and handwritten text that explores themes of identity and narrative.\u003c\/p\u003e\n    \u003cp\u003eMarlene Dumas, born in Cape Town in 1953, is a contemporary artist known for her exploration of human identity, social politics, and the psychological weight of the image. This work, titled Defining in the Negative, exemplifies her characteristic approach to the figure. Dumas often draws from a personal archive of photographs, media clippings, and art-historical references to construct her compositions. Her application of ink and wash creates a sense of immediacy, where the fluidity of the medium mirrors the instability of the subject matter.\n\nThe composition features a reclining figure rendered with gestural, expressive strokes. The text included in the work, 'I won't sleep in Mr. Fishl's bed', introduces a narrative layer that complicates the viewer's interpretation. By incorporating handwritten text, Dumas bridges the gap between visual art and literature, forcing a dialogue between the seen and the read. The figure is not a portrait in the traditional sense, but rather a site for the projection of anxieties and desires. The use of negative space and the stark contrast between the ink and the paper surface contribute to a sense of raw vulnerability.\n\nDumas employs a restricted palette, allowing the focus to remain on the tension between the body and the surrounding environment. Her work frequently addresses themes of power, gender, and the gaze, often subverting expectations of how the human form should be represented. This piece demonstrates her ability to capture a psychological state through minimal means, relying on the economy of line and the expressive potential of ink. The work invites the viewer to consider the complexities of personal history and the ways in which individuals define themselves against the backdrop of others.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Marlene Dumas","offers":[{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ Small Square (30x30 cm) \/ -","offer_id":58036157645135,"sku":null,"price":37.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ Medium Square (40x40 cm) \/ -","offer_id":58036162756943,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ Large Square (50x50 cm) \/ -","offer_id":58036162789711,"sku":null,"price":55.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0833\/9292\/1935\/files\/Defining-in-the-Negative_Poster_CompositorV1_1782265593337.jpg?v=1782265964"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.solisprints.com\/collections\/marlene-dumas.oembed","provider":"Solis Prints","version":"1.0","type":"link"}