Description
Exposure
Oil On Stretched Canvas
30 × 40 cm
R6 200
Exposure is a striking nude, seen from behind, in which a figure raises both arms to gather her dark hair. Her back and shoulders are painted in warm ochres, golds and soft flesh tones, set against a cool, abstracted background of blues, greys and muted pinks that reads almost like a hazy, dissolving cityscape. The contrast of warm skin against cool surroundings gives the work its quiet, arresting tension.
Julie Tugwell paints the body with fluid, confident oil strokes, capturing the turn of the shoulders and the lift of the arms rather than every anatomical detail. Touches of red and warm accent flicker across the back, while the loose, blocky background keeps the mood atmospheric and a little dreamlike. There is both vulnerability and strength in the pose, in keeping with the painting’s title.
Elegant and contemplative, Exposure would bring a note of considered sophistication to a refined interior. Its balance of warm figure and cool ground suits a bedroom, a living room or a private study, where the sensitivity of the pose and the richness of the brushwork can be quietly appreciated.
Style
Julie Tugwell is a contemporary South African artist whose work shares qualities with expressive, painterly traditions, favouring energetic brushwork and an emotional response to her subject over strict realism. In her figure work she is drawn to gesture, mood and the play of light on the body rather than exact anatomical detail. Whether working in warm, glowing tones or a cooler palette, she captures the atmosphere and vitality of a subject, creating original artworks that bring warmth, character and considered sophistication to contemporary interiors.
Please note: Images are provided as a guide to the artwork’s size and style. As each original painting is photographed under different lighting conditions and viewed on different screens, colours may vary slightly from the original artwork.
