Plato Gallery’s Latest Shows Rewrite the Rules of Female Portraiture

At the moment, Plato Gallery in New York is displaying two exhibitions: “Heart Left in the Bag”, a solo exhibit by Katya Muromtseva, and “Here’s Looking at You”, a group show featuring only women artists. Both shows are on until February 8, 2025. These parallel exhibitions revolve around themes of identity, memory, and self-expression, weaving together personal and universal stories of women worldwide. Art serves as a means of reclamation in these shows, providing insightful reflections on power while delicately exploring the complexities of women’s experiences.

In the ground-floor gallery, USSR-born artist Katya Muromtseva unveils her New York solo debut with a collection titled “Heart Left in the Bag“, featuring rich watercolor portraits. These works are fashioned as shaded blossoms, developed during conversations with female immigrants now living in America, where each interviewee is questioned: “When did you realize that you were part of history?” This ongoing project merges individual stories with a broader historical context, depicting memory as influenced by migration. The portraits resemble the fluidity of a lava lamp, reflecting the continuous adaptation and changing identity required in cross-cultural life, encapsulating the resilience and authenticity of her subjects in both literal and abstract forms.

Descending the stairs, I call upon the captivating exhibit titled “Here’s Looking at You“, which gathers an extraordinary group of eight female painters – Sanié Bokhari, Darina Karpov, Opal Mae Ong, Katya Muromtseva, Laura Sanders, Natalie Terenzini, Summer Wheat, and Jesse Zuo. These artists boldly defy traditional modes of representation, creating a perspective that breaks free from the male gaze. By empowering themselves as creators, they assert their unique voices and seize control over their work’s narrative.

The pieces on display range from hyperreal to surreal, each serving as a strong declaration of autonomy and self-expression. Remarkably, these artists skillfully dismantle the notion of being observed, providing raw insights into themes such as vulnerability, transformation, and relaxation in moments when no one else is watching.

Head to Plato’s website for more information about the shows.

Plato Gallery
202 Bowery,
New York, NY 10012

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