Faking it
2023 | Cold Wax and Mixed Media on Canvas | Framed Original Painting
We've all faked something. But how far are we willing to take the performance?
In Faking it, a woman with oversized hair rollers glances over her shoulder, her expression caught somewhere between confidence, curiosity, and knowing amusement. Surrounded by energetic layers of coral, pink, golden yellow, and expressive black marks, she emerges from a visually chaotic composition that blends nostalgic imagery with contemporary commentary.
Embedded text introduces a provocative examination of the things women are expected—or choose—to pretend. From constructed appearances and beauty standards to the more complicated performances of intimacy and relationships, the words question where harmless embellishment ends and emotional dishonesty begins.
The woman's hair rollers reference the rituals of feminine presentation, revealing the work that happens behind the carefully maintained image. Her partially rendered face and knowing gaze suggest an awareness of the expectations placed upon her, while the fragmented composition disrupts the illusion of effortless perfection.
The painting moves beyond conventional beauty standards to confront a more intimate question: How much of ourselves are we willing to compromise to maintain the appearance of happiness, connection, or belonging? And when the fear of being alone enters the equation, can pretending become easier than confronting the truth?
Playful, irreverent, and quietly confrontational, Faking it uses humor and nostalgic imagery to approach questions of authenticity, vulnerability, and female identity. Its expressive combination of cold wax and mixed media creates a layered surface in which imagery, language, and spontaneous marks compete for attention.
Part of Alissa Van Atta's She's a Mess collection, Faking it challenges the performances women navigate in their appearances, relationships, and everyday lives, inviting viewers to consider the difference between being seen as desirable and being known as themselves.
Artwork Details
Artist: Alissa Van Atta
Title: Faking it
Year: 2023
Medium: Cold wax and mixed media on canvas
Artwork Dimensions: 12 H × 12 W × 0.5 D inches
Framed Dimensions: 13 H × 13 W × 1.5 D inches
Collection: She's a Mess
Presentation: Framed original artwork
Original: One-of-a-kind painting
Availability: Available
Price: $595
Original artwork by Alissa Van Atta.
Faking it
2023 | Cold Wax and Mixed Media on Canvas | Framed Original Painting
We've all faked something. But how far are we willing to take the performance?
In Faking it, a woman with oversized hair rollers glances over her shoulder, her expression caught somewhere between confidence, curiosity, and knowing amusement. Surrounded by energetic layers of coral, pink, golden yellow, and expressive black marks, she emerges from a visually chaotic composition that blends nostalgic imagery with contemporary commentary.
Embedded text introduces a provocative examination of the things women are expected—or choose—to pretend. From constructed appearances and beauty standards to the more complicated performances of intimacy and relationships, the words question where harmless embellishment ends and emotional dishonesty begins.
The woman's hair rollers reference the rituals of feminine presentation, revealing the work that happens behind the carefully maintained image. Her partially rendered face and knowing gaze suggest an awareness of the expectations placed upon her, while the fragmented composition disrupts the illusion of effortless perfection.
The painting moves beyond conventional beauty standards to confront a more intimate question: How much of ourselves are we willing to compromise to maintain the appearance of happiness, connection, or belonging? And when the fear of being alone enters the equation, can pretending become easier than confronting the truth?
Playful, irreverent, and quietly confrontational, Faking it uses humor and nostalgic imagery to approach questions of authenticity, vulnerability, and female identity. Its expressive combination of cold wax and mixed media creates a layered surface in which imagery, language, and spontaneous marks compete for attention.
Part of Alissa Van Atta's She's a Mess collection, Faking it challenges the performances women navigate in their appearances, relationships, and everyday lives, inviting viewers to consider the difference between being seen as desirable and being known as themselves.
Artwork Details
Artist: Alissa Van Atta
Title: Faking it
Year: 2023
Medium: Cold wax and mixed media on canvas
Artwork Dimensions: 12 H × 12 W × 0.5 D inches
Framed Dimensions: 13 H × 13 W × 1.5 D inches
Collection: She's a Mess
Presentation: Framed original artwork
Original: One-of-a-kind painting
Availability: Available
Price: $595
Original artwork by Alissa Van Atta.
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