Charline von Heyl Artworks

Painted, printed, and collaged to form new configurations, Charline von Heyl's works draw from a range of sources, from comic books to the works of abstract expressionists.

Read More

Re-Imagined Bodies

Von Heyl's early works show abstract configurations, expressing bodies and sentiment as fading smudges of brown rendered in oil on canvas in Big Joy (2004), or whirling forms of pink enquiring into female representation in Vanus (2004).

'It's like bending bones,' the artist has said of her own process—wrestling materials and shapes that do not appear to go together, which eventually form a new image.

Female Figures

The theme of womanhood and its contradictions is recovered in later paintings, which incorporate geometric elements in subdued yet explosive compositions.

At once playful and threatening, Pink Vendetta (2009), a sharp bouquet of pink with crosses and triangles protruding from the centre, reflects the physical and emotional tensions in the body that seek expression while being confined to social expectations.

In Woman #2 (2009), the shadow of a curvy female figure bent in a suggestive pose is covered with the same diamond pattern as the wallpaper backdrop, ornamental and fading. Two flesh-coloured spheres rest in the place of her face, alluding to overt sexualisation.

Layered Compositions

Other paintings blend geometry and abstraction to explore the elusive, as with the references to witchcraft in Black Stripe Mojo (2009), which depicts distorted feline patterns against a striped wallpaper background, or Momentito (2009), in which a dark ritualistic symbol stems from a white square.

Mixed-Media Images

Increasingly detailed, later printed works on paper blend a variety of materials and techniques, as with the dark coiled figures in Nightpack (2014), made from colour sugar lift aquatint combined with soft ground and drypoint etching.

Likewise, Lacuna Lotto (2011), a blend of lithograph collage and monotype printing, depicts a female figure with the top of her face hollowed out to reveal an explosive backdrop. The woman's lips are curled into a slight smile, with the letter P printed to her left.

Depth and Flatness

Through layering materials and images, von Heyl's paintings often achieve a sense of depth by juxtaposing two-dimensional shapes against soft backdrops, evoking a brimming seascape in Old Fish New Fish (2016) or an old wallpaper in Vacancy (2017).

Enquiring into its own material representations, Ornament and Crime (2017) depicts an abstract black-and-white pattern that is compressed into a grid within one quarter of the painting. It evokes the shift in abstract representation over time, referring to Austrian architect and theorist Adolf Loos' distaste for formal decoration.

Currently there are no artworks available from our member galleries, however Ocula Advisory may have a number works which they can potentially offer for private sale. Please contact Ocula Advisory for more information.

Contact

Ocula discover the best in contemporary art icon.
Get Access
Join Ocula to request price and availability of artworks, exhibition price lists and build a collection of favourite artists, galleries and artworks.
Do you have an Ocula account? Login
What best describes your interest in art?

Subscribe to our newsletter for upcoming exhibitions, available works, events and more.
By clicking Sign Up or Continue with Facebook or Google, you agree to Ocula's Terms & Conditions. Your personal data is held in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
Thank you for joining us. Just one more thing...
Soon you will receive an email asking you to complete registration. If you do not receive it then you can check and edit the email address you entered.
Close
Thank you for joining us.
You can now request price and availability of artworks, exhibition price lists and build a collection of favourite artists, galleries and artworks.
Close
Welcome back to Ocula
Enter your email address and password below to login.
Reset Password
Enter your email address to receive a password reset link.
Reset Link Sent
We have sent you an email containing a link to reset your password. Simply click the link and enter your new password to complete this process.
Login