“[im-]maculata I after Velázquez”, Iris Trostel (DE) | IRTR 312/1034/1

Iris Trostel is a young German artist with Hispanic roots. In the series “Immaculata”, Trostel takes inspiration from the great masters (Velásquez, Dürer, Leonardo, Caravaggio…) while reflecting on contemporary social and gender constructs. The virgins represent purity, their beauty untouched, their expression still with a look of sadness or compliance. A woman’s role in society is often defined by these characteristics. The fact that the compositions are done using only the color red may invoke a certain defiance,  referring to feminine traits like the virginal blood, symbol of fertility.