Jutta Rakoniewski

The German-American artist Jutta Rakoniewski writes that “to paint is to pass through a doorway of the unknown,” and to gaze upon her acrylic compositions undoubtedly gives one the sense of accompanying her across that threshold. Inside each wondrous frame, fleeting details of human faces and figures melt into fields of color speckled with voluptuous, flowing brushstrokes. In some works she deploys a palette of muted and pastel hues that evokes Impressionism, but elsewhere she pushes towards a spectacular and boldly tinted abstraction that would be total if not for her descriptive titles.

Evoking at once Surrealism, Cubism and Abstract Expressionism, Rakoniewski’s canvases pose a double challenge to viewers: to isolate the figurative details in each stunning, sweeping painting, and then let it dissolve into the surrounding currents of colors and textures. Perhaps owing to her preference for painting outdoors, each work suggests magical, windswept landscapes, while simultaneously conjuring dream-like symbolism. Whether for analysis or adventure, Rakoniewski’s superb showmanship draws us into each piece.