Freya Saleh

Freya Saleh is an abstract painter whose practice is centred on creating art that hold a sense of mystery, imbued with an atmosphere that feels ancient, elemental, and enduring.

Her art practise is a way of connecting with the "realm of the invisible" - having always been curious about the concept of 'the unknown', she finds continuous inspiration in the exploration of shadow and depth. Her process involved sketching from figurative forms and anatomy, bringing her visions into an abstract world. Saleh's method of removing paint from the canvas with a clean brush is an act of drawing which she compares to sculpting; bringing something into existence, forming and erasing in the same moment. One of the artist's core beliefs is that drawing, in its purest form, offers the most elegant and poetic means of creating an image, communicating the depth of human experience. The art of erasure has personal significance for Freya, her process is similar to the way memory itself operates, becoming blurred and leaving only traces over time.

The artwork seeks a monochromatic, minimal aesthetic. The use of fine linen lends the surface a sense of delicacy and sensitivity, allowing the ochre pigments to reveal the most subtle variations in light and shadow, which triggers the artist's senses. The way in which the colours change throughout the day, from vibrant and luminous in one moment, to suddenly dark and enigmatic, drives Freya to keep creating.