Through the wonders of the Internet, the work of Victoria Selbach was drawn to my attention recently.
Selbach is an American artist who concentrates on the female nude figure as a subject. However, I have to point out that she has also created works with landscapes and portraits being the subjects. There is a real comparison with Philip Pearlstein who has very similar taste in subject matter. But that is where the similarity ends.
There is a warmth to Selbach’s work unlike the harsh clinical lighting falling on Pearlstein’s sitters. She manages to observe the soft lighting that many photographers dream about. Silhouettes and shadows turning what could have been an average piece into something more.
It is often the case that when the female nude is a subject, the body is turned into an object of unattainable beauty or desire. Selbach manages to avoid this and personalise the women in her work. There is a real emotional connection between the sitter in the work and the viewer.
The female nude from a female perspective is a rare view. There are countless images created by men which in some cases I find difficult to class as artistic in any way.
What I like most about Selbach and Pearlstein’s art is that the sitters appear to be in the driving seat of the piece being created. Capturing a part of the people in front of them is what makes their work stand out.
I do hope that Selbach gets an opportunity to exhibit in the UK or creates a paper publication for all those who can’t make it to the US for the shows over there. Victoria Selbach is an artist to watch out for.
18 OCTOBER 2014 I decided that I could not wait for an art gallery in the UK to create an exhibition of Victoria Selbach’s work and purchased my first major piece of artwork. Now I am the proud owner of Nude 7 and I hope to enjoy it for many years to come. The only thing I wish for is to have the ability to allow others to enjoy it too.