Peeking, 2024 + BONUS

 

Peeking, 2024 by Sophia Serruya Monteiro  

Soft Pastel on Drawing Paper

This painting features an abstract portrait that conveys intense emotion through its chaotic lines and bold use of color. The central face is fragmented, with its wide, sorrowful eyes being the most prominent feature. The eyes are emphasized by thick black outlines and are framed by vibrant yellows, reds, and blues, drawing attention immediately to the subject’s gaze, which feels both searching and apprehensive. The background and surrounding areas are filled with swirling shapes and rough textures, adding to the rawness of the piece. The colors are earthy, with deep browns, rusty oranges, and bursts of bright reds and pinks, blending together in a way that feels spontaneous and almost primal. The rough application of paint or pastels (likely oil pastels or similar media) creates a tactile sense of texture, making the surface appear gritty and layered. There are looping, organic lines—especially in the upper right section—suggesting hair or an energy that surrounds the figure. The overlapping, fragmented forms also suggest the figure's mental or emotional disarray, as if it is grappling with confusion or a flood of thoughts. The blending of facial features and shapes evokes a sense of distortion, further emphasizing a fractured state of mind.

 

Persona, 2022 by Sophia Serruya Monteiro  

Persona, 2022; Watercolor and acrylic on canvas paper

A minimalist, abstract portrait, with focus placed on a pair of eyes and a prominent nose. Surrounding the incomplete face is a grid-like pattern of colorful, rectangular brushstrokes in soft pastels—yellows, greens, blues, and pinks. The fragmented pattern contrasts with the stark simplicity of the facial features, giving the impression that the face is either emerging from or dissolving into the background. Theres a sense of ambiguity, suggesting that the identity of the figure is incomplete or in flux. This use of abstraction implies themes of anonymity, the dissolving self, or the fragility of identity, leaving much of the interpretation up to the viewer.