Sharona Eliassaf
Unexplained phenomena, artificial light, and the relationship
of painting to social change are subjects that are central in my
work. I often approach a painting as if it were a performance in a
dysfunctional theatrical play. As if producing for a film set, I build
up moments by choreographing values of light and dark, creating
tensions, and reconfiguring what looks familiar to appear new or
strange.
I am continually trying to define a line between abstraction and
figuration. I see my canvases as stagelike spaces where I can
manipulate my own sublime and weave cryptic narratives for
viewers to decode.
My source material comes from personal experiences, as well
as ideas and images from newspapers, television, and overheard
conversations. I am drawn to dual and alternate realities, such
as mysterious relationships that form in nature, or the deepest
fears that dwell within everyday life. Clipping images from my
experiences and the media, I strip them of their stories, allowing
me to destabilize absolute meaning in my paintings.
![](https://nap-master.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/styles/entry_thumb/public/Eliassaf_ClosethedoorshutthelightA.jpg?6zAuJ2KAslSqIkVb9AJr.pMGhb7B5HTZ&itok=acfccTb_)
![](https://nap-master.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/styles/entry_thumb/public/Eliassaf_canyoufeelthelovetonightB.jpg?buW6u.Tct5Hr9gFbxk3UvI6OSl.uK9j4&itok=JfFXRY-M)
![](https://nap-master.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/styles/bio_cover_img/public/Eliassaf_Head%20Shot.2.jpg?t7HLx91OSqVmK3gSlTJgnzzXPOk3RhAH&itok=LeGjMgKS)