Oil Painter | Fine Artist | Alexandra Swistak
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Bio
Alexandra Swistak studied Art History and Education at the University of Victoria. Additional art studies include watercolor and ceramics in Japan and oil painting in France.
Born in India, she emigrated to Canada with her family and settled in British Columbia. She divides her time between Canada, India, France and Japan. Her work is widely collected both nationally and internationally.
Statement
The Flemish Renaissance, Mughal portraiture, Impressionism, Classicism and Cubism are references for my work. Each painting unfolds from an intensely intuitive, personal and imaginative narrative. However, the style itself is not a conscious choice in my practice; it is the result. A painting may begin and remain in the representational form or break off into the abstract. Both sides underscore the layers of female beauty. With color, line and shape, I pursue light and truth through the inextricably complex inner lives of my paintings. A careful and divergent process brings the female gaze into perspective with an ultimate aim to surprise, engage, and delight the viewer on a deeper level.
Home, community and sense of belonging have been the backdrop to the most turbulent events in my life. As a woman of color and immigrant, I explore the intersection between belonging and otherness, truth and power, love and loss, security and family.