Vanessa Conte's new paintings and drawings of the female body subjected to unidentifiable forces and faceless domination. Amidst a tumultuous time when the female body is politicized, celebrated, shamed, and reclaimed in public discourse, Conte’s work poses questions about the vulnerable shell of the human form, its disposition to surrender to impulses of human nature and depravity, and our reactions as bystanders, voyeurs, and, at times, participants.
In “Blackwater” (2017), a large wooden oar plunges into the flesh of a supple brunette beneath the lake's surface, piercing the placid water and making the body bend to its rigid force. The symmetrical splash and the body’s bubbling descent make the assault a spectacular act of grace and cruelty.