Elisa Soliven's paintings involve a plastic approach to geometric patterns, and a free hand when it comes to spatial delineation. It is a pattern's interruption that allows us to see into the picture. A recent series, which make up the largest paintings she has made to date, concern her fascination with Egyptian art. The paintings of Ancient Egypt, often placed in tombs to accompany the deceased, were composed of offerings such as birds, food and other objects, and arranged in a vertical two-dimensional plane. Human portraits depicted the body in profile with the head facing the viewer, a quality that suggests a third dimension. This implied space is what Soliven seems to explore with her new paintings.
Egyptian Room. 58" x 60", oil, acrylic and spray paint on canvas. 2007