My work is driven by the desire to explore the complex relationship between personal identity and larger social environments. This desire is rooted in my experience of growing up in Belarus during the tumultuous fall of the Soviet Union. Entwined with this history is my later immigration to the diverse society of the United States.

The honesty and psychological presence of Alice Neel’s and Francis Bacon’s work inspire me to employ contemporary figurative realism in my art practice. While building on the rich tradition of oil painting and portraiture, I explore unconventional application methods and subject matter to depict intricate connections between an individual and society in the context of globalization. I am especially interested in the moments when external factors: government, power, and religion, intersect with internal forces of psychological and physical inheritance.

My paintings illustrate the individuality, power, and vulnerability of the figure in its psychological space, where forms and feelings are mixed and abstracted. The oil medium allows the build-up of layers of paint, simultaneously creating feelings of depth and translucency. The juxtaposition of the gesture and impasto with the exactitude of the rendering creates dynamic tension and conveys both physical and emotional qualities.

By exploring these uneasy balances, painting is my way of embracing the unfamiliar and its instability, as well as accepting my own vulnerability. Through this process, I am able to understand, remember, and capture my personal history. - Lola Panco