Vanessa Prager is an LA based artist whose first solo exhibition in New York, entitled ‘Voyeur’, is currently showing at The Hole Gallery. Prager’s works are primarily dense, textured canvases made up of thickly applied and generously sculpted three-dimensional peaks and valleys of oil paint. Her subject is the face, though you might not immediately recognise conventional features in her abstract figures: instead, they emerge out of thickets of paint before fading back into the canvases’ angry brush strokes.

Interested in ideas of voyeurism in our surveillance age, Prager explains, “at the beginning of last year, I felt more exposed than ever. Watching my friends date on apps, meeting people online, and having a couple thousand followers on Instagram, I became more conscious than ever of the feeling I was being watched.” These feelings inform ‘Voyeur’ not only in obvious ways – more people will see these pieces online and through social media than in person, and those that do go to the exhibition will need to look through peepholes to observe some of the works – but also through the notions of exposure and concealment present in these half-visible, smeared faces. We’re pleased to premeire the accompanying video to ‘Voyeur’, which gives a greater insight into Prager’s unique outlook and her background. Have a watch and, if you’re luck enough to be in New York head along to see these pieces in person throughout February!