Author Description

"Inka Essenhigh paints fantastical worlds where the everyday is twisted and contorted by energetic forces from within and whithout. Over the past 20 years she developed her own style and vision that she has put to use to create beautiful manifestations of the world: albeit one that isn't completely free of evil. Rendered with technical prowess, her lexicon of surreal nature scenes and otherworldly figuration has been variously interpreted as related to Japanese anime, comic books, European fairy tales, and children's animation. While Essenhigh is neither fully Surrealist nor fully Pop, what the art movements with which she is associated with have in common--is a relationship to the uncanny. As found throughout Surrealism and other modern avant-garde movements, Essenhigh's paintings tend be uniquely episodic, while still sharing themes of flora and fauna. They are touched by a curious self-containment and an interiority of the force of imagination. Her works display dimensional narratives that require close-up viewing, creating a visceral dialogue, one viewer at a time. Each is marked by bright, rich color, and a decision to revel in the "little world" schema of psychology with a fluidity between people and their things..."--Gallery website www.milesmcenery.com accessed 21.07.2021