Janssen Anya

• 1962
• Amhem

Describing herself as a "collector of souls," Anya Janssen is captivated by the extraordinary humanity of those she encounters-often people at crossroads in their lives. Her approach combines beauty with a subtle realism to draw viewers in, seducing them into truly seeing before confronting them with the complexity of her subjects. Influenced by the Flemish Primitives and Lowbrow Art, a movement rooted in 1960s Los Angeles underground comics and punk culture, Janssen merges traditional painting techniques with surreal color and carefully orchestrated compositions, producing work that is at once spellbinding, uncanny, and, in her own words, "I paint beauty with the charm of a razor". Each of Janssen's projects is grounded in an intensive, prolonged relationship with her subjects, resulting in paintings that capture fleeting yet significant moments, and invite viewers into a mysterious, compelling narrative world.