The Ladies

This painting came about after randomly seeing Picasso’s “Les Demoiselles d’Avignon” (completed 1907, and translated as “The Ladies of Avignon”) pop up in one of my social media feeds. I’m not a fan of Picasso, but there is no denying the significant influence of his work on the development of Western modern art. I had to study his painting a few years ago and I remember just being repelled by it - five naked women as if trapped in a claustrophobic space, competing with each other for your attention (and let’s face it, the male gaze). They were drawn with sharp edges, hinting at the beginnings of cubism.

I hadn’t seen Picasso’s painting in years and when it popped up again I wanted to respond to it somehow. So taking the colour palette of the original and leaning just a little bit into cubist construction, I came up with “The Ladies” - anonymous figures freely going about their business, barely noticing or even acknowledging your presence as a viewer. Inspiration is a strange thing - I’ve always been inspired to paint by things that produce a positive feeling, not things that have repulsed me. So I think this is good learning for me and something I can build on (but I’m still not a fan of Picasso!).

I've tried my best to provide clear and accurate photos of this work, but please note that colour nuances may not be captured perfectly by digital media and vary from screen to screen.

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On display at the "Fifty Squared" Art Exhibition at the Brunswick Street Gallery, 22nd June to 5th July, 2024.
On display at the Hue and Cry Group Art Exhibition at the Hue and Cry (now known as Liminal) Gallery, Geelong, 31st August to 30th September, 2024.

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I create art as a hobby, both to completely disconnect from my corporate job and to reconnect with my inner child who loved to draw, design, imagine and make. I’m self-taught, with a love for the different modern western art movements that occurred between the late 1800s and in to the first half of the 20th century.

My intention when I paint is not to achieve realism, but to bring the viewer into the painting to experience a fleeting, yet common human feeling, thought or observation - a familiarity to remind us that we're not alone in our experiences. To express this, I like to play with colour and loose brushstrokes, and be open to a range of styles from landscapes and figurative paintings, to still lifes and abstraction.

After completing a Masters Degree in Art History in 2020 I realised that there are so many other kinds and styles of art that inspire me and for which I hope to continue studying and reflecting in my own practice. I aim to learn something new with everything I create, which is what motivates me to continue to make art.

You can find more on my Instagram @jhoannamonteart