In conversation with Oriele Steiner: On highlighting female subjectivity

Oriele Steiner (b. 1993) explores multitudes on her canvas. She paints a series of distorted shapes and figures, each rendered in vibrant shades of blue, orange, and yellow, put together in striking harmony. Recurring motifs such as pearls, lace bras, chiffon blouses, flowing hair, wilting sunflowers, sweat droplets, and sorrowful figures appear throughout her work, bringing together different female perspectives onto one canvas. In The Desire, Despite It All (2024), bright blue nails at the end of long, fatigued, orange bodies glint with quiet defiance. Together, these symbols evoke the diversity of female subjectivities, unravelling a multitude of memories and emotions.

From the 4th to the 8th of November, three of her works will feature in Artscapy’s Women in the Picture, an upcoming exhibition that focuses on capturing the range of experiences defined by womanhood. In an exclusive interview with the artist, we learn more about her unique visual language and how her works converse with the exhibition’s title.

Oriele Steiner, The Desire, Despite It All (2024), courtesy of the artist and Artistellar

You once mentioned that you see art as a “form of therapy and expression.” Could you talk about your personal journey with art and how this perspective shapes your practice?

Art has always served as a form of therapy for me. When I paint, I enter a flow state that allows me to temporarily step away from the world and fully immerse myself in my imagination. That sense of focus and freedom is, I think, an essential part of being an artist. It creates space to explore and express your inner world, often communicating emotions or experiences that are difficult to put into words.

Two of your works in this exhibition, Familiar Faces in Familiar Spaces (2024) and That Time of Day (2024), carry a sense of distortion, almost like fragmented pieces of a puzzle. Can you us more about this approach and what was on your mind while creating these works? 

When I was creating these paintings, I was in a period of reflection, trying to make sense of certain memories. I was thinking a lot about how memory works and how it shifts and distorts over time. My recollections are rarely whole, they return fragmented and I remember them through sensation (like painting) rather than complete images. I wanted the paintings to capture that feeling, almost like piecing together a puzzle made of emotions and moments. This feels true to how we experience people and places, not really as fixed realities, but as evolving memories that change each time we revisit them.

Oriele Steiner, They were never satisfied (2024), courtesy of the artist and Artistellar

How do you see your pieces engaging with the exhibition’s theme of subverting the male gaze? How does your work engage with the idea of “Women in the Picture”?

I don’t tend to make work that directly addresses the male gaze, but I’ve always been aware that it’s something that ultimately shapes how women are seen, both in art and in life. In these paintings, I was interested in capturing moments of self-awareness, allowing the figures to exist on their own terms rather than being defined by how they’re perceived.

With this exhibition, I see my work as part of a broader conversation about the male gaze and perspective. 

Steiner will be joined by seven powerful female artists: Konstantina Krikzoni, Ewa Juszkiewicz, Gal Schindler, Monika Marchewka, Stefania Tejada, Lindsay Bull and the legendary photographer Lee Miller. Together, these artists create a space that welcomes diverse female perspectives highlighting the multitudes hidden within their gaze.

This exhibition is a great opportunity to not only view their works in person but also witness the magic they create with each other, a celebration of womanhood. View more exhibition details here.