In this series of paintings from the past two years, June Nelson explores the tension between identity, history, and transformation through portrayals of surreal, enigmatic figures adorned with deep-sea diving helmets, ruffs, and boxing gloves. Drawing inspiration from Elizabethan and Flemish portraiture, the paintings blend tradition with the absurd, where symbols of protection and restriction —such as the rigid ruff and the isolating helmet— contrast with gestures of defiance and self-exploration.

Expect to see women in ambiguous spaces, caught between concealment and revelation. One kneels in frustration; another clutches a helmet like a burden or relic, while others meet the viewer’s gaze with a regal, alien intensity. The paintings aim to create a surface that is both inviting and unsettling, describing a space where humour, vulnerability, and strength collide.