Johanna Seidel: Salamander

As the exhibition text explains, “At the core of Seidel’s paintings lies a fascination with the inevitability of transformation and change. Each piece presents a message or a scene richly imbued with symbols indicative of metamorphosis.” That’s why the salamander becomes the title subject — it’s a creature with a mythical origin tale that proclaims the animal’s ability to withstand the detrimental effects of fire and flame, and has adapted to both the land and the water. Similarly, Seidel’s characters seem to thrive in different situations and environments — be it waiting for someone or something, or taking action and going for it.

In paintings like 9pm, Dungeons and Dragons, or October, there is a sense of anticipation, of longing, of excitement filling the air. In the first one, we see the detail of a woman who’s ready for a night out, while on the second, a woman sitting on her boudoir is applying makeup, also hinting that she has plans. In the latter, a group of friends embark on a road trip; where? We don’t know the destination, but we can feel how thrilled they are to be together and embark on an adventure to create memories that’ll last forever.

Through the cohesive use of earthy tones and pastel colours, Johanna Seidel builds a world that feels welcoming and inviting, yet somehow estranged too. There is a feeling that something bad is going to happen in artworks like Thunder or Playlist, and even the house portrayed in Ghost World feels eerie despite the rich, colourful flowers on the entrance. Speaking of, The Family Garden, a diptych depicting the past and present of a luscious garden full of greenery and exotic plants, captures perfectly the storytelling skills of the artist.

With scenes that freeze moments and allow viewers to imagine the rest (what came before, what’s going to happen next), Johanna proves that still images can be as evocative as films or books. In her first solo show in the United States, she presents a body of work that sparks our imagination and allows our mind to roam free in the infinite field of possibilities.