NYC Opera Gallery presents ‘Twisted Body’ featuring work from 16 artists examining exploration of figuration and subjectivity in relation to the human body

Opera Gallery is pleased to present ‘Twisted  Bodies,’ a group exhibition examining the artist’s exploration of figuration and  subjectivity in relation to the human body. Framing the artist’s use of body as  both a subject and a tool, ‘Twisted Bodies’ explores the artist’s depiction of the  human form in a diverse range of mediums and styles.  

Featuring works by Noel W. Anderson, Karel Appel, Fernando Botero,  George Condo, Jean Dubuffet, Jazz Grant, Amedeo Modigliani, Pablo  Picasso, Deborah Roberts, Niki de Saint Phalle, Antonio Saura, and Manolo  Valdés, ‘Twisted Bodies’ represents a diverse presentation of the contrasting yet  intertwined formal concerns of embodiment and perception. 

Fernando Botero’s signature “Boterismo” portraits feature exaggerated, rounded,  and voluminous figures evoke an exaggerated fullness, making his subjects  appear soft, smooth, and inflated. George Condo’s striking, distorted portraits  blend traditional, modern, and surreal elements with contorted expressions and  disjointed features, creating a sense of both familiarity and unease.  

Antonio Saura’s depictions of the human form are marked by stark, expressionistic  sensibilities approach that elicit emotional intensity and psychological depth,  conveying a sense of existential angst. In contrast, Niki de Saint Phalle’s iconic  “Nana” sculptures embody a sense of joy and celebration of the human form  through their playful poses, bright colors and decorative patterns.  

Noel W. Anderson’s jacquard woven tapestries frequently explore the human  body through the channels of blackness and masculinity, and their subsequent  depictions in mainstream media. Karel Appel’s portraits stray from anatomical  accuracy to capture a raw, emotional essence of the human form, while Jean  Dubuffet’s sculptural depiction of the body are aesthetically rooted in the Art operagallery.com 

Brut movement, distinctive in their visceral  quality that deliberately eschews traditional  notions of idealization and refinement. Jazz  Grant’s figurative works are constructed  through collage to explore themes of identity,  personal history, and the construction of  memories. Speaking about her work, Grant  said, ‘‘She Leaned Over The Earth considers  a bodily manifestation of personal history  and fantasies. Reconstructing fragmented  experiences, much like the way we piece  together our identities. Inviting viewers  to consider how our bodies, with all their  distortions and complexities, can serve as  vessels for emotions and stories, shared across  different cultures and eras.” 

Jazz Grant_She Leaned Over The Earth_2024

Fernando Botero_Lady in Profile_1983

“It’s a privilege to show She Leaned Over the Earth alongside such incredible masters and contemporary voices in Twisted Bodies, an exhibition that explores the many layers of the human form. My piece brings a sensitivity and a subtle sense of longing to this theme, using the silhouette of a woman as a portal into the landscape. Her outline, filled with diverse British terrains, evokes both a connection to and a yearning for the land. This interplay between body and landscape speaks to themes of belonging, memory, and erasure, reflecting on how our forms both inhabit and seek a place within the world. In this way, she embodies a powerful communion with the earth, a quiet reminder of the histories and yearnings we carry within us.”