Niah McGiff

Gravity

Gravity is a series rooted in my love of painting the figure. The body has always fascinated me as a subject. It can communicate vulnerability, intimacy, tension and connection without saying a word. These paintings are less concerned with likeness and more interested in expression. Through colour, gesture and line, I use the figure as a way of exploring the complexities of inner life. For me, painting is not about documenting a person as they appear, but about responding to what it feels like to be human.

Vestiges (ongoing)

Vestiges grew out of a habit of painting over old works. As I reworked them, parts of previous paintings would remain visible. Ghosts of figures, fragments of line and traces of colour would find their way back through the surface.

The series connects to my ongoing interest in the many versions of ourselves we carry, and the complexities of inner life. What fascinates me most is the process itself: scraping back, painting over and uncovering layers I didn't know were there. It feels like dancing with the work. The more I try to control a painting, the less interesting it becomes. Sometimes you need to get out of your own way and trust where the painting is leading.