The paintings by Toni Messiter are a part of a new series called, Don’t Let Her In. The works embrace and celebrate girlhood and the concept of age rather than its denial, depicting fragments of memory, characters and episodes of my past. “I am inspired by classical painting and portraiture, feelings of ambiguity, light and shadow. I am particularly interested in enigmatic compositions, raising questions between reality and illusion and creating a sense of uncertainty between the viewer and the figures depicted. I am interested in this dialogue of ‘who is looking at who’ between the audience and the painted subjects, which for me is tied up in my own reflection of my past; of me looking at these characters I’ve painted, and their gaze looking back at me.” – Toni Messiter
Location: Stanley Street Gallery, Booth J12
Image credits: Toni Messiter, 2023. Photo by Michelle Chanique.
