PIVOINE (French for peony) by Maria Szakats, part of Romance Apocalypse, her solo exhibition at Brooke Benington, embodies Szakats’ unique approach to intimacy, filtered through art historical references and inspired by the theories of Eva Illouz. Created with mohair yarn brushed over a canvas, this piece references Leonardo da Vinci’s painting Virgin of the Rocks (1483-1486). Szakats adapts a detail of a peony Da Vinci’s iconic chiaroscuro technique to a blurred image enhanced by the hazy quality of mohair.

In PIVOINE, HYDRA and DAHLIA, Szakats chose to depict a flower as a continuation of the theme of vanity which she has been investigating in her previous solo exhibition. In these works there is a sense of retreat – an experience of observing the subject from a hidden, sheltered place, like a cave, a protected point from which to view the world outside. Her own emphasis on the complexities of romantic and maternal intimacy. The soft texture of mohair adds a physical warmth to the piece. The effect of brushed yarn creates a visual blur, where the lines soften, mirroring the intertwined nature of relationships that fluctuate between comfort and dependency, echoing the exhibition's overall exploration of the emotional realm.