JANSSON STEGNER
NEW PAINTINGS
December 7–14, 2020
In a series of five oil paintings, Stegner’s exaggerated figuration delves deeper into the artist’s long-running exploration of the human form and traditional depictions of gender. Stegner’s paintings expand upon a lineage of artists including El Greco, Dix, and Balthus who, despite coming out of different eras and art historical movements, are linked by a common thread of unrealism that balances familiarity with stylized strangeness, particularly in regard to the human body. Through painting women, an integral subject in his practice, Stegner navigates this tension between realism and unfamiliarity by portraying figures of immense physical power and beauty. These women simultaneously subvert traditional power dynamics and satirize fantastical portrayals of feminine seduction through a combination of overt hyper-femininity, shaped by impossible proportions, and an assertive strength shown in their direct outward gaze and amplified muscularity.
Jansson Stegner (b. 1972, Denver, CO; lives and works in Santa Barbara, CA) received his MFA from the University of Albany, New York. Stegner has been the subject of numerous solo exhibitions with galleries including Almine Rech, New York; and Sorry We’re Closed, Brussels. Stegner was the recipient of the 2010 Art Brussels: Collectors’ Choice Award and was the 2015 Deutsche Bank NYFA Fellow.