Sugarbags

Isadora Vogt’s paintings combine different narratives, mashing up and deconstructing seemingly familiar motifs. This deconstruction lets the viewer glimpse friendly faces and figures smothered in a synergy of merging layers of subjects, objects and gestures. Taking inspiration from the characters and stories found in fairytales and in children's books from the 50s and 60s, Isadora supplants these narratives into her works. By unpacking nostalgic memories and cultural traditions, she creates stories within stories where the mostly predictable outcome of fairytales and fables harbours the potential for sneaking in different messages that do not seem aligned with the apparent cuteness and sugariness of their characters: what seems to be innocently cute is in fact potentially threatening. What is idyllic and domestic takes an uncanny turn. The stereotypical representation and expectations tied to the characters and depicted environments become especially powerful aesthetic devices to employ and deceive.