Cristina Schek, Back Portrait With Lady in The Van, 2023, fr...

Estimate

£600 - £800

Cristina Schek, Back Portrait With Lady in The Van, 2023, framed archival pigment print, overall with frame 23cm x 18cm, limited edition no.2 of 8

A continuation of The Back Portrait Series featuring a woman with her back turned adorned in a feminine vintage style straw hat. Inspired by both the 2015 film 'The Lady in The Van' and rene Magritte's surrealist approach, this piece depicts a road between mountains and a van visible through the woman's translucent for. This imagery reflects the film's narrative which explores the true story of Alan Bennett's complext friendship with Miss Mary Shepherd, an eccentric homeless woman who lived in a Bedford van in Bennett's driveway for fifteen years. Reflecting this poignant story of friendship the work captures themes of impermanence and personal history and blends cinematic emotion and artistic homage

Cristina Schek is an established mid-career international artist celebrated for her distinctive surrealist vision. A Transylvanian now rooted in London, Schek crafts conceptual work that explores identity and the nature of representation, with literature, films, and art history as her muses. Entirely self-taught, she uses the camera as a mere tool to craft imaginative, layered compositions that evoke the legacy of the Old Masters and Surrealist pioneers.
Schek’s works have been showcased at prestigious exhibitions and art fairs, including the London Art Fair, British Art Fair, Art Miami, NY Art Fair, LA Art Show, etc. Her accolades include winning the Young Masters Focus on the Female Art Award Created During Lockdown 2021 and her recognition at Phillips Auction House during the BFAMI Art Exhibition 2022. Most recently, she gained acclaim for her public art installation, The Ceiling In The Sky, which won the W4 Fourth Plinth 2023, a prestigious honour following in the footsteps of Sir Peter Blake, the inaugural artist for the project.
Driven by a passion for storytelling, Cristina’s creative process combines meticulous craftsmanship with boundless imagination. Her whimsical and thought-provoking works challenge traditional boundaries, offering audiences a fresh perspective on contemporary surrealism.