Unfolding in ebullient strokes of creamy whites, rose pinks, and dusky purples tones, Mclean's work is immediately recognisable in its traditional aesthetic and contemporary execution. Characteristic of her practice are voluptuous figures that play with the idea of entanglement and movement as they are accompanied by lavish feather boas, fans and veils. Exploring notions of femininity surrounding the female figure and the male gaze at its centre, Mclean's series playfully draws from classical iconography and 20th century paintings. Almost suspended in time - they recall the aesthetic of François Boucher and Titian. Concerned with reclaiming feminine excess and frivolity on strictly feminist terms, this body of work draws from the fête galante paintings but with a distinctly contemporary freshness.

Mclean's paintings are also about the exploration of paint, as each fluid brush stroke coalesces lyrically on the canvas to create striking imagery that slips from pure figuration and borders on abstraction. Despite the harmonious arrangements of colour and form, and the decadent paraphernalia, the mood remains unsettling. This effect is caused by the often cloaked faces of the protagonists of these stories. Even when the eyes are visible, upon closer inspection, it seems as though they are never staring directly at the viewer, but at something in the distance. Gazing into an unknown abyss, the eyes are full of emotion. This further enhances the mysterious atmosphere, intensifying the paintings' contemporary sensibility.

Unlike her previous works, this series introduces a new element into Mclean's practice - the colour white. Often a symbol of purity and innocence, Mclean explores the colour in correlation to weddings and grief. As she explains, "Personally, the colour white expresses my emotions with struggling and coming to terms with the breakdown of my long-term relationship. Endings are a time of reflection, within these paintings are the inner push and pull of emotions and the change of relationship one has with themselves during a personal transformation."

Press release courtesy Unit.