Fences and Barriers by Ana Schmidt

“My paintings are realistic depictions of urban landscapes. I navigate manmade spaces to discover subjects of intrigue. The landscapes I paint are often on the edge of cities, normally quite unat- tractive. Ordinarily we pass these places by, we do not give them credence as visual subjects of art. The motorways, bypasses, waste transfer stations, recycling facilities and factories – the social fringe that stands on the periphery of our urban centers – are what ultimately speaks to me.

“What a painting does to a viewer can't be put into words, neither can the effect of a highway, the meaning of a suburban place, a puddle...

“Images constitute openings towards a trans-historical world. The symbolism of water is constantly present in my paintings. Mircea Eliade writes about water: ‘Water is fons et origo, it precedes all form and sustains all creation. The symbolism of water implies both death and rebirth.’” – Ana Schmidt