See Line Gallery is pleased to present the first solo exhibition in North America of French artist Elizabeth Colomba as its inaugural show.
Elizabeth Colomba’s painstakingly detailed paintings appear straightforward in their depiction of ultimately complex characters. The work purposefully draws the viewer into the mystery of another place and a fictitious time.
In her work Colomba quietly captures the subtleties of setting, yet she increasingly leaves the overarching narrative open to interpretation. By placing figures in rooms where paintings substitute windows and patterns disturb the apparent calm, she conveys a sense of secrecy. These women communicate a longing for something (or someone) momentarily unattainable. Perhaps the key to understanding their deep thought is in their past or future actions, which is inaccessible to their viewers.
Elizabeth Colomba is inspired by faces, rooms, or even clothing that spark her imagination and evolve from there. She often begins by drawing nude figures; then she follows by creating sketches of several clothed figures, settled in a space, surrounded by meaningful objects. It is this careful preparation that leads to the depth and richness of her detailed paintings.
Columba was born and raised in Epinay sur Seine, a suburb of Paris, amid the rich inspiring Caribbean heritage of her family. In 1996 she moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in storyboarding, working on feature films like Romeo and Juliet, One Hour Photo, Catwoman and many more. Elizabeth Colomba currently lives and works in Los Angeles.