Principle Gallery | 9/13-10/7 | Alexandria, VA

Emotional Release

A group show at Principle Alexandria explores the concept of catharsis.

Anna Wypych is an artist who is always shifting the paradigm—taking figurative realism and pushing it into the beyond. Her paintings, which often feature wildly surreal imagery of the female form, channel a wide range of human emotion. An upcoming group exhibition at Principle Gallery, curated by Wypych, delves into the powerful concept of catharsis.

Andreas Claussen, Make Use of Your Anger, oil on canvas, 233/5 x 31½"

“Catharsis is a characteristic of art and is especially associated with ancient theater. I am particularly interested in the concept of catharsis in the context of emotions and their release through contact with art,” says Wypych. “The art we invite into our lives as collectors can simply be pleasant and beautiful, providing simple and quick relaxation, but it can also be something more. It can be somewhat strange, spicy [and] ecstatic, touching our soul deeply without a logical explanation of why it moves us. When inviting artists, I encouraged them to approach the subject openly and to release their emotions to create something that is important to them and moves them.”

Mathieu Nozieres, Chased, oil on panel, 12 x 9"

Artists in the show who are exploring this intense release of emotion include Natalie Featherston, Megan Elizabeth Read, Julie Bell, David Jon Kassan, Eric Wert, Mathieu Nozieres and many others.

For Dutch artist Lorena Kloosterboer, catharsis is related to cleansing the mind and replenishing the soul, particularly through art. “In our hectic world, meaningful art gives the viewer a moment of quiet respite and an opportunity for introspection,” she says. Her painting in the show, Tempus Amoris XI,depicts a white cockatoo standing on an ornamental Delftware apple peeking from behind delphiniums in a blue glass vase. “White cockatoos symbolize intelligence, good fortune and positive change. Although highly poisonous, delphiniums symbolize big-hearted kindness. Glass is a dual symbol of fragility and strength. Blue is the color that represents stability and calmness. The exquisite porcelain apple, created in time-honored Delft craftsmanship, symbolizes good health and future joy,” Kloosterboer says of the piece.

Lorena Kloosterboer, Tempus Amoris XI, acrylic on panel, 27½ x 19½"

In Marissa Oosterlee’s Achelois, a woman rests in a pool of water filled with flowers of varying colors. “Over the past few years, my paintings have focused on women with compelling life stories, depicted in water as a symbol of rinsing away the past and emerging strong, successful and free of their demons,” says the artist. “This journey began with a self-portrait inspired by the shocking plastic waste I encountered in the Maldives, which affected both the environment and sea creatures. After collecting seven huge garbage bags of waste from the beach and rescuing a turtle entangled in debris, I created my first painting. In it, I portrayed myself in crystal clear seawater, with embroidered flowers growing over me, symbolizing humanity’s potential to harmonize with nature again. When invited to participate in a show themed around catharsis, I couldn’t refuse. For me, catharsis embodies liberation, cleansing, a hopeful future, a safe haven, a new beginning and inner peace.”

Eric Wert, Artichoke, oil on panel, 12 x 12"

Make Use of Your Anger, by Andreas Claussen, captures another side of catharsis—release through rage. The painting features several pop culture figures, including Leonardo DiCaprio and Goku, a fictional character from the animated show Dragon Ball Z. “The painting features the astronaut shouting in anger, with a giant speech bubble filled with diverse characters—a skull, a gorilla, Son Goku and Leonardo DiCaprio—all expressing their own forms of rage,” Claussen explains. “The astronaut’s breakout is a manifestation of the cathartic process, where different pent-up frustrations are given a powerful release. Each character within the speech bubble adds a layer of meaning. The skull represents existential dread; the gorilla conveys primal, raw reaction; Son Goku embodies heroic defiance, and Leonardo DiCaprio shows dramatic and theatrical intensity. Together, they depict how anger can be both destructive and transformative.”

Anna Wypych, Catharsis – Wild Heart – 7 Cats, oil on canvas, 40 x 60"

Catharsis: Wild Heart will be held at Principle Gallery’s Alexandria, Virginia, location with an opening reception on Friday, September 13, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. The show will remain on view through October 7. —