Her newest exhibition, Inside Me, at the Gillian Jason Gallery is set against a white backdrop,where she shows a body of work that, in reflecting her own experience, reflects the experience of every one of us. Her intertwining, disfigured, contorted figures embody harmonising energies of vulnerability and strength. The exhibition allows us to follow Zamanova inside herself, and to explore imperfection and strength through her muses.
Inside Me provocatively explores themes of vulnerability and beauty through the artist’s exploration of the self. Alina Zamanova shows how she has reflected on her relationship with herself and her own imperfections by reflecting on her relationship with others. By admitting that the way she views herself is undeniably intertwined with her view of others, she creates a graceful and beautiful body of work that tangles and distorts perception. Throughout, her subjects show an intense focus on the other, by focusing their glare on us. As the artist says, it is a “sustained exploration into my own body and mind through the transformation of my memories and emotions onto the canvas”.
It is all about juxtaposing ideas that result from self-reflection: vulnerability and strength; ugliness and beauty. The exhibition acts as a mirror for the body and the self, all the pieces glistening reflectively. The paintings’ subject is not just the self however, but also others, women who Zamanova has been inspired by and fallen in love with. Through her compositions, she makes “women who transcend these prescribed behaviours to be confident in their skin, confident in their message, and confident in the work they create, all while striving to embrace the human feeling of vulnerability." In Dance, for example, the figures gracefully uphold each other, guiding and reflecting each other’s movements. She uses her passion for dance to recreate the relationship she has with other women, drawing energy from their strength.