N5BRA created in 2024
40.9 cm
60.6 cm
N5BRA, also known as Nobra, began his career in illustration and has since expanded into painting. His distinctive name reflects a playful and intense experience, adding logic to his fragmented identity and allowing him to freely express his way of life. His work initially focused on the human body, gradually expanding to themes of self-portraiture and existentialism. In his artwork, the body is a crucial element. The recurring female nudes are both a primary subject and a central theme of his pieces. Some interpret these nudes as objectifying and othering the female body or as tools to reveal sexuality linked to his pseudonym. However, in reality, his nudes are a form of self-portrait. The eroticism in his works stems from human existence and the anxiety it brings. Through his art, N5BRA poses ontological questions to the audience. These questions have transitioned into a new medium, oil painting. The thick texture and multiple layers of oil paint demonstrate the artist's process of proving his existence within the void of meaninglessness. The oil medium captures the intersection of N5BRA’s experiential life and objective perspective. This desire for self-rootedness and validation stems from his experiences of anxiety without a clear object. The figures in his works reflect his inner turmoil as he searches for purpose and direction in life. The intertwined curves are striking, and the organic structure is not arranged with a single purpose but emerges from countless strokes and accidental elements on the canvas, creating abstract forms. The inner anxiety and life's struggles cannot be expressed through a simple plane or a single line. The generally dark tones, deep contrasts, expressionless gazes of the figures, and undulating lines and brushstrokes suggest a long-standing anxiety submerged in calmness. The emphasized dynamism and randomness are arranged according to N5BRA’s unique sense, evoking a life of chaos and stability, harmony and imbalance, progress and stagnation.
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Gallery STAN is a gallery based in New York and Seoul that introduces contemporary modern art and supports emerging artists. Starting in Chelsea, New York and expanding to Korea, Gallery STAN has consistently discovered and supported young artists, providing them with a studio space, curatorial support, and exhibition opportunities. The gallery plays a crucial role in establishing and shaping the identity of contemporary art in Korea.
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More artworks from this artist
$2,000
($2,000)