Artist in RESIDENCE: Frida Wannerberger
During the Sarah Kravitz Residency Programme, artist Frida Wannerberger developed a body of work centred on power, identity, and the construction of femininity.
Wannerberger’s paintings challenge traditional representations of women, resisting readings that position her subjects as passive or ornamental. While her figures, often depicted with youthful features and stylised forms have been described as doll-like or angelic, such interpretations are actively undermined by the psychological depth and agency embedded within the work. Through carefully considered titles and expressions, her subjects emerge as self-aware and internally complex.
Central to her practice is the convergence of the child and the adult woman within a single figure, creating a layered exploration of identity that moves between innocence, experience, and self-determination. This duality opens up broader questions around the codes that define femininity, whether they are adopted, resisted, or reimagined and the possibilities that exist beyond them.
Her work engages directly with contemporary discussions around gender roles and societal expectation, offering a nuanced and assertive vision of female experience. A subtle sense of melancholy runs throughout her paintings, reflecting the emotional and psychological weight of these structures, while simultaneously affirming resilience, autonomy, and power.
