Artist: ALANA RICHARDS

Born in Cork, Ireland in 1985. After leaving home at an early age, Alana has wandered, studied and lived – always impulsively. Drawing from rich and eclectic personal experiences, her absorbing paintings command attention from the viewer. The questioning, often accusatory gaze draws us in and provokes speculation over the context that has brought about this snapshot. The moment that we are allowed a glimpse of is only one fragment of much more complex circumstances. Whilst the paintings are, in the main, classically composed, the technique is decidedly contemporary. Harsh brushstrokes are employed, layers that have been worked and reworked, painted and painted over, building up a complex (if somewhat hidden) history of the figure. Richards achieves this effect via a limited colour palette and with little or no background detail, pulling all of our attention towards the static, central figure. Recently, her work has seen a bold divergence in terms of style, whilst undeniably still remaining part of the same, distinctive and instantly recognisable body of work. Richards has exhibited in solo and group shows in the UK, Ireland, Paris and Berlin. Public collections include the Gallery Museum Lendava, Slovenia. Her works have been sold into private collections all over Europe. Alana Richards currently lives and works in Berlin.

~ Copyright 2013 Alana Richards. All rights reserved