“I was stone.”
To achieve depth and dimension, an artist must harness light. Nadine Tralala accomplishes just that, painting canvases so luminous they almost function as lightning rods.
Based in Germany, Tralala favors ethereality throughout her practice. Her vivid paintings teem with bold colors and figures whose skin practically radiates, resulting in delicate surfaces.
“I’m drawn to figures that are somewhat realistic but still have an ethereal, almost otherworldly quality,” Tralala tells My Modern Met. “I like playing with light, softness, and subtle distortions to create a sense of dreamlike presence rather than strict realism.”
Indeed, Tralala’s canvases often resemble dreams, incorporating soft, warm tones in tandem with striking blues and blacks. They also stage tender encounters between people and animals, at times to a mythical degree.
Emil, for instance, depicts a red-headed boy gently cradling a large bird, its pink head turned toward the viewer. The gesture is at once caring and rare, given that birds often strike us as skittish and wary of human touch. The figures stand against a simple, deep-blue background, further enhancing the scene’s surrealism.
Riptide offers a similarly supernatural canvas. A girl with glowing skin caresses several snake-like monsters, their mouths lined with red teeth. The interaction between the two is highly vulnerable, a loving exchange between a human and creatures that, at first, strike us as dangerous and frightening.
“I rarely see people as full of love and at ease as when they’re in the presence of animals,” Tralala explains. “There’s something about the way animals bring out a softer, more vulnerable side in humans.”
For Tralala, an animal’s capacity to “make [a person’s] soul visible” reflects her efforts to explore raw emotions throughout her paintings.
“I think that’s what drew me to painting. It’s a language beyond words, a way to express what I feel without having to explain it,” she says.
There’s a certain tranquility to Tralala’s artwork, one that invites its viewers to stop, look, and rest for a while.
“I always say, ‘I inhale the world and paint a healed version of it.’ The world is so complicated, restless and often unbearably cruel,” the artist says. “My intention is to create calm, unhurried paintings where viewers can rest their eyes and mind, offering a moment of peace amidst the chaos.”
To discover more of her work, follow Nadine Tralala on Instagram.
German artist Nadine Tralala explores moments of raw emotion, love, and tenderness throughout her luminous artwork.
“Chicken.”
“The bitter taste of my fury.”
“The right kind of wrong.”
“Riptide.”
“And death.”
Tralala’s canvases teem with bold colors and expressive figures, creating dreamlike and surreal atmospheres.
“Emil.”
“Eve: The First Woman Who Ate.”
“Ghost Dog.”
“Hiraeth.”
The artist has a particular affinity for animals and their capacity to lure tenderness and affection out of humans, emotions she depicts throughout her paintings.
“Fly Easy.”
“Linger.”
“In a quiet moment.”
“Obolus.”
With their delicate textures and subjects, Nadine Tralala’s paintings encourage viewers to stop, look, and rest a while.
“Priska.”
“Requiem of the world.”
“Taller than the trees.”
“Solitude.”
Nadine Tralala: Instagram
My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Nadine Tralala.
Related Articles:
Renowned South African Artist Explores Her Ndebele Heritage Through Harmonious Geometrical Paintings