Nikoleta Sekulovic

If you haven’t seen Nikoleta Sekulovic’s work in person, you can find her at virtually every major art fair around the world as well as in the esteemed London gallery owned by Rebecca Hossack.

I first encountered her work at the 2024 Art Miami Fair, and was immediately impressed by the stark contrast it offered to the contemporary styles presented by nearly every other gallery. The Miami art scene is known for bright colors, clean lines, and graffiti inspired imagery. Sekulovic’s work is none of these things.

Inspired by heroines of the past, present, and fiction, Nikoleta’s current series depicts beautiful women clothed in richly textured and patterned dresses. The women in her paintings lounge, stand, read, or contemplate, and their expressions reflect a thoughtful demeanor and introspective pondering. The sheer scale of her works can’t help but capture the viewer’s attention, and the movement and energy found in her iconic patterned backgrounds will keep it.

I would categorize her work as impressionist, though her use of color feels more deeply rooted in expressionism than light play. The delicate blue florals juxtaposed with vibrant red skirt in “ELIZABETH BARRETT BROWNING” reflects the inquisitive youthfulness of the painting’s namesake. Meanwhile, the cheeky expression and decadent florals found in “Colette” reflect an entirely different personality; that of Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette, famous french poet and actress known for her sensuous depictions of love, life, and feminine power. “Bathsheba Everdene” offers a slight variation to the first two paintings, with a slumbering garden background bathed in golden light, rather than the artist’s standard flat patterned background. The colors, textures, and depth found in this painting perfectly captures the sharp and unforgiving demeanor of Bathsheba Everdene, heroine of Tom Hardy’s novel, “Far From the Madding Crowd”.

The collection, as a whole, is a thoughtful and creative homage to the deeply impactful, yet sometimes forgotten and deserving of remembrance, female figures throughout history and literature. Working with living models, she brings to life the tone and personality of her subjects, and pays respect to their impact on society.

I hope to see much more of Sekulovic’s work in the US as she continues to expand her footprint, and was thrilled to hear that her first several shows with this series sold out completely.