PRESSURE

An exploration of beauty and tension.

EXPLORING SOCIAL EXPECTATIONS THROUGH ART

Tereza Barnard is a contemporary realist painter whose works explore the delicate interplay between beauty and the subtle social pressures that shape our identities. Through meticulous detail and narrative depth, her paintings invite viewers to question the expectations placed on us and reflect on the unspoken dynamics of modern life. Each piece balances elegance with quiet introspection, creating timeless works for discerning collectors..

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PAGEANTS&PARADOX

virtual exhibition

A series of narrative-driven realist oil paintings of young beauty queens exploring the quiet tensions of beauty, identity, and societal expectations.

  • Hopes (2022), 120 x 100 cm, oil on aluminium panel

    A quiet gesture of crossed fingers behind the back speaks volumes—evoking the tension of anticipation, the desire for triumph, or perhaps a wish to escape the competition entirely. This painting explores the universal language of silent gestures, inviting the viewer to reflect on ambition, uncertainty, and vulnerability.

  • Pressure (2024), 70 x 60 cm, oil on aluminium panel

    A young girl, styled with the poise of a woman, gazes outward with an unsettling blend of maturity and vulnerability. A barely perceptible cold sore at the corner of her mouth hints at imperfection beneath the surface, subtly challenging ideals of beauty and composure.

  • Comparisons (2023), 60x 70 cm, oil on aluminium panel

    In Comparisons, a young girl holds a ribbon delicately across her frame, a gesture suggestive of self-measurement and the quiet internalization of beauty standards, juxtaposing the innocence of childhood with the weight of societal expectations.