ANNA BOROWY
"Hinter den Spiegeln"
October 22nd - December 3rd 2011

The title „Hinter den Spiegeln“ (Behind the Mirrors) of Anna Borowy‘s new series of paintings refers to the German translation of the title of Lewis Carroll‘s book „Through the Looking-Glass“ for a reason. In Anna Borowy‘s new images, too, we are set into a phantastic world of odd creatures and peculiar sceneries.

The unreal or naturally ornamented backgrounds are filled with dense, shining colours just as the figures in the foreground. Strange and multi-coloured textures are generated this way, which in separated details seem impossible to be connected with the object they are describing, while as a whole structure they are creating a clear but novel correlation. The depicting of a veritable bear for example works with an astonishingly colourful fur, which at a closer look is composed in big parts of colors like pink, yellow and blue. During such examination of Anna Borowy‘s artworks the own perception comes as a surprise, as it - given the apparent mismatch of colors - doesn‘t wonder about the reason for the lack of conventions, but finds the objects immediately and intuitively in a particular and coherent arrangement.

A repeated scheme with regard to content is the correlation of animals to the central human characters. These animals do not only interact with the protagonists, but seem to communicate with them, including very human features and roles. The animal figures seem to be spellbound and transformed by the magic of quasi orphic characters and their sounds-turned-pictures. On the other hand the creatures themselves reveal such human mimic, they resemble embodied totems or captivated animals in fairy-tales. For above-mentioned bear for example this trait culminates in his doubtlessly human blue eyes.

The proximity of the often maidenly protagonists to predators causes a particular tension. Contrary to their nature the predators don‘t pose a threat to their tender counterparts, but appear to be tame and devoted. Surprisingly these wild creatures in their (onesided) affection seem to be more vulnerable than the object of their dedication.