Exhibition at Stene Projects 2018

The Great Escape is a series of paintings thematising existential flight. Each painting contains its own interpretation of what it could mean to escape life and distance oneself from reality. Among the motifs are a solitary cottage in the woods and a ship departing from a shore, but also more subtle images of alienation from reality. Such as an audience at the theatre, a stage at the opera, or an old reading chair perfect for fleeing into a good book.

Proos’ characteristic technique makes it easy to recognize her works. By using thin layers of oil she creates a beautiful effect resulting in light and luminous, dream-like images that spark imagination.

The literary influences in her works are far from obvious, yet some of the motifs appear to be illustrations from a romantic 18 th century novel. Today, the romantic era is often regarded as the ultimate withdrawal from reality into a fictionalized and aestheticized world. Ironically, the aim of the romantic turn towards nature and emotion was, in fact, to get closer to the world. Their escape was an escape from the increasingly rationalized life world, and not from the world as such.

This also applies to Proos’ great escape. In distancing herself from one world, escaping into artistic practices and alternative universes, Proos reconnects with a world that is lost in the colloquial – an inner world, at the same time unique and belonging to everyone.

Astrid Grelz Andersson