2024 Finalists

The artist Raimonda Petraitė, working under the pseudonym “mone Kielė” and representing contemporary figurative painting, explores the issues of modern society in her work, especially those related to a person’s search for identity through the construction of external image and appearance. The painting visualizes the modern individual, who is intensely searching for themselves, striving to stand out, and experiencing emotional struggles.

In the center of the composition, there is a bent figure. The character observes her reflection, trying to understand her appearance from behind. Her body is slouched, legs bent, and arms hanging down towards the ground, conveying a certain sense of fatigue or concentration. The painting is filled with dynamic line drawings that create an impression of movement and distortion.

Red and purple tones dominate the work, expressively dripping and blending, evoking a sense of instability. Red, often associated with emotions and intensity, here may reflect psychological tension or even symbolize life or pain. The forms are undefined, free, and blurred, further emphasizing the vulnerability of the human body. The blending and dripping of oil and enamel paint create a feeling of gravity.

This painting explores the fatigue of the modern individual in their constant search for self, while also addressing the inevitable confrontation with internal instability when trying to represent oneself externally, questioning how much we have to and want to conform to societal standards. The high heels emphasized in the artwork symbolize societal pressure to be attractive and stylish, even at the cost of discomfort. The body’s posture and distorted lines reveal the vulnerability of the individual and the constant struggle between the inner self and external demands. The figure appears tense, as if trying to shed a burden or contemplate their place in the world. The deformed body contours highlight the inner crisis that arises from conflicting social and personal expectations.

The artwork reflects the efforts of the contemporary individual to survive amidst ever-changing standards of beauty and lifestyle; there is a search for how to reveal the naked body without associating it with vulgarity.
In painting the modern individual, instead of criticizing them, Petraitė admires their seriousness, and at times, their naive and almost foolish immersion in the process of searching for oneself and for “beauty.”

“Monitor yourself” is a depiction of the contemporary existential struggle between individuality and societal norms. Through colors and lines, Raimonda Petraitė emphasizes the influence of modern society on the formation of personal identity, while also encouraging a deeper look at what lies beneath the external façade. The painting reflects the artist’s deep connection with the psychological states of the modern individual and raises the question of our true self in a world where appearance and image have become paramount.

(22/33)