Fahren Feingold's watercolour, ethereal nudes are 'wet dreams' for women everywhere

The new paintings will go on show at The Untitled Space in New York City from today. Curated by Indira Cesarine, it will be her third solo exhibition at the gallery where she is also represented. Speaking of the works, Feingold says: "I explore the relationships between beauty, sensuality, and nudity through my own female narrative lens. I want my viewer to feel the colours of that expression. I want my watercolours to wash over them, gently inviting them to sink deeper into the subjects, not just in the erotic sense. The series exposes the unclothed form, not as a sexual act but rather as a revelation in body and mind connectedness."

In Wet Dreams, Feingold's practice has evolved. Instead of taking inspiration from vintage imagery, she worked from her own photographs as visual references. "Many of the models are personal friends, giving me an insider point of view to their real lives and presence rather than creating imaginary narratives about who the women are and the past lives they may have led," she explains. "By taking time to really look at and get to know the women, their stories, and their bodies, my paintings are like a love letter to my subjects, shared with the world so they can see what I feel. I don't literally paint my models but the emotions they radiate."

Speaking of her continued use of watercolours to paint her bright and bold figures, she says: "It gives me access to those who usually shy away from nudity. In my work, I uncover women's pre-sexualized bodies to explore the beauty and intuitive emotions of my feminist gaze."

For this particular exhibition, which runs until 13 November, Feingold worked on growing in scale, with several pieces on multiple panels. As a "physically petite person", she admits that she struggles with feeling seen and heard. "Through the act of painting, I let my work speak loudly for me. Thus, expanding the watercolours from the confines of single paper dimensions, my voice becomes that much harder to ignore. Wet Dreams is a demand for people to listen and see women as equals while sharing the visual poetry of their unique intimate stories."

As well as referencing her own photographs, Feingold's work is inspired by early 20th-century French erotica and vintage American magazines from the 1970s and '80s. The Los Angeles native moved to New York at the age of seventeen to study at the Parsons School of Design. After earning her BFA between Parsons and Glasgow School of Art, she worked as a fashion designer for top brands including Ralph Lauren, Nicole Miller, and J.Crew, among others.

In 2016, her dreamy watercolours caught the eye of the legendary Nick Knight, who commissioned her to illustrate Paris Fashion Week for SHOWstudio. Her work has since been featured in numerous international exhibitions and she has been celebrated as "a trailblazing artist on a meteoric rise" by Vogue magazine. You can follow more of her latest work on Instagram. Fahren Feingold's Wet Dreams, meanwhile, will run from today until 13 November 2021 at The Untitled Space in New York City.