“Coveted Connections”: 10 Intimate Paintings By Lara Dann

Arch Enemy Arts present "Coveted Connections", a solo exhibition by Lara Dann. This collection of ten enigmatic paintings, immersed in soft hues, explores themes of life, death, and transformation. Lara Dann works in thin washes of acrylic paint to transcend traditional portraiture, layering floral filigrees that shadow her figures, blend them into atmospheres of color, and dissolve the boundary between inner and outer worlds.

"'Coveted Connections' is about longing for a connection that I cannot or have not had… Artistic and personal growth and transformation have been top of mind for me this year, and putting my feelings into the figures of this work solidifies them for me. There is a spectrum of expressions on topics ranging from serenity, beauty, pain, life, death, and narcissism, all manifesting into something tangible for me… I am always learning through self-discovery and experimentation with my materials, but perhaps the thing I am learning most right now is how to lean further into my vision and my internal mythology." — Lara Dann

More info: archenemyarts.com | laradann.com | Instagram

10 PHOTOS

#1 "Moonlight"

Lara Dann’s figures appear strong and evocative if not contemplative and serene, always poised to suggest an inward journey. In "Coveted Connections", Dann’s signature use of intricate floral overlays creates a haunting veil, like bruises of lace that shadow her subjects, forming a threshold between two worlds. Vulnerable yet resilient, Dann’s portraits traverse internal landscapes, tracing the artist’s journey through memory, pain, dreams, and fantasy.

#2 "Incantation"

#3 "Coveted Connections"

Lara Dann is based in South Carolina but has lived and worked across the United States. She studied commercial design in upstate New York and is self-taught as a painter. Lara Dann began exhibiting with Arch Enemy Arts in 2021, and "Coveted Connections" is her first solo feature with the gallery. The show is on view in Philadelphia now through November 30, 2024.

#4 "Lady Death"

#5 "Fade Into You"

#6 "Unbroken"

#7 "Death Head Lovers Eye"

#8 "Scorpion Lovers Eye"

#9 "The Spider And The Fly"

#10 "The Tie That Binds"