Mia Rlin

Lives and works in Philadelphia, PA, USA

Artist statement

A central part of my practice is reconsidering the way sensitivity is perceived. Framing it not as something to overcome, but a vital way of seeing. My childhood told me that it's a phase but in adulthood I came to realize it can shape the way I understand my own emotions. Challenging the idea that these feelings are insignificant or that “things aren't that deep” when they truly are. I translate these internal experiences into something tangible due to the psychological weight placed on the body and mind causing it to be at odds with each other. Often responding to societal expectations surrounding how I should feel, behave, and exist. In my oil painting process, I tend to use bright colors to introduce psychological tension with grotesque figuration. I often combine salt and gesso to represent anxiety on certain areas of the body for an intense visceral effect.

Artwork