Good art and beautifully designed chairs. Two of my very favourite things will be brought together in an exhibition by the Madrid-based artist Nikoleta Sekulovic, at Rebecca Hossack gallery in London.
The Hypatia Collection, named after an Ancient Greek female philosopher famous for being the greatest mathematician and astronomer of her time, consists of ten paintings of female nudes, each seated on a chair from furniture company Viaduct’s collection. Each chair has been personally selected by the sitter.
The paintings are acrylic and graphite on canvas, in a limited palette of mostly white, greys, black and browns; the soft, muted forms of the figures both contrast with and complement the angular lines of the chairs. I love how the paintings feel both modern and timeless. 
Nikoleta Sekulovic, Hypatia, 2019, acrylic and graphite on canvas, 180 x 130 cm
Nikoleta Sekulovic, Nossis of Locri, 2019, acrylic and graphite on canvas, 167 x 150 cm
Nikoleta Sekulovic, Moero of Byzantium, 2019, acrylic and graphite on canvas, 170 x 125 cm
Nikoleta Sekulovic, Anyte of Tagea, 2019, acrylic and graphite on canvas, 160 x 165 cm
Nikoleta Sekulovic, Aesara of Lucania, 2019, acrylic and graphite on canvas, 150 x 160 cm
Nikoleta Sekulovic, Porcia Catonis, 2019, acrylic and graphite on canvas, 150 x 175 cm
The models, all known to the artist and all fellow mothers, are given classical titles – the names of ancient Greek female poets and philosophers, and a small historical description of her will be inscribed on the back.
‘…. perhaps the most significant concept behind the combination of a muse and designer furniture is the idea of finding the stillness within, even if it is for a fleeting moment.’ Nikoleta Sekulovic.
The chairs include several of my personal favourites – He Said chair by Mattiazi, Hiroshima dining chair by Maruni, Tri-Angle stool by Karakter, the enigmatic Eugene lounge chair by E15, amongst others.
Nikoleta Sekulovic is an artist presently based in Madrid. Born in Rome to a German mother and a Serbian father, she has worked in London, Paris and New York.
The Hypatia Collection, 28 January – 21 February 2020, Rebecca Hossack Art Gallery, Conway Street, London.
Images courtesy Rebecca Hossack Gallery
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