Emma Itzstein’s new body of work celebrates rebirth and renewal. After a flood devastated Emma’s studio in 2022, her beloved collection of art books were left saturated, seemingly destroyed by the water. As she began to inspect the damage, Emma became intrigued by the viscosity of the paper. Not wanting her beloved books to go to waste, Emma plastered the waterlogged images of masterpieces onto a canvas. By doing so, she started to evolve these images, expanding on the journey initiated by great masters. Scrubbing into the images and painting over them with gestural brushstrokes, Emma ultimately created an abstracted mountainous landscape that poetically reconstituted images of the past. This work served as a ‘masterwork’ that informed the artist’s newest series of works on paper. Within this series, each work presents a different perspective of the land, creating a narrative that connects the viewer to a world of the artist’s creation. This body of work is about the regenerative power of water and its ability to “extend life where something is lost.” Emma reminds the viewer that water carries us through an endless cycle of regeneration and rebirth.
To view the full list of Emma's new works please contact info@otomys.com
