Helena Stiasny – The Great Round

Helena Stiasny's first individual exhibition in Denmark hosted by Annika Nuttall Gallery in Aarhus.

Helena Stiasny

The Great Round

07.03.–05.04.2025

Annika Nuttall Gallery
Østergade 33
8000 Aarhus C, Denmark

Helena Stiasny and Annika Nuttall

Titled “The Great Round”, this exhibition by Helena Stiasny draws its conceptual core from the Jungian psychologist Erich Neumann’s term “Das Große Runde” (The Great Round), which the artist interprets as a symbol of life’s cyclical nature, fertility, and ambivalence of the archetypal feminine. In Stiasny’s paintings, The Great Round, referencing the curves of pregnancy and the circular forms that embody nourishment and creation, becomes a visual metaphor for the power, complexity, and autonomy of the feminine form, linking the biological with the mythological and opening a dialogue on the fluid, evolving nature of womanhood.

Building on this foundation, Stiasny explores archetypal femininity through a nuanced interplay of mythology, corporeal symbolism, and art historical references. Her works present the female figure as both life-giver and decision-maker — an empowered subject in stark contrast to traditional depictions of the female body as passive and objectified.

A significant part of her practice connects to feminist theory, particularly Judith Butler’s concept of gender performativity, which frames gender as a social construct enacted through repeated behaviors rather than a fixed biological essence. In Stiasny’s work, the female body becomes both stage and actor in this performative process. Using portraiture and self-portraiture, she challenges the classical subject-object dichotomy in the representation of women, creating a space where the woman is no longer merely the object of the viewer’s gaze but actively maintains control over her own narrative.

This exploration of female self-representation is further enriched by layers of mythology and religious iconography. Depictions of the Virgin Mary — an idealized image of femininity and motherhood — are placed in dialogue with alternative female deities from diverse mythologies. Through this juxtaposition, Stiasny questions culturally ingrained ideals of femininity and opens new interpretations of the woman’s role in both historical and contemporary narratives. By blending classical themes with deeply personal symbols, she mythologizes the intimate experience of subjective femininity.

Her work also examines the woman’s relationship with her own body and its cultural representation, particularly during the transition from girlhood to womanhood. This period, often marked by a heightened awareness of the body as both personal and socially constructed, becomes a focal point in her exploration of how femininity is performed, perceived, and internalized.

Through highly symbolic and often provocative imagery, Stiasny invites viewers into a reflective space where femininity is understood not merely as a biological condition but as a complex narrative shaped by culture, mythology, and personal experience. At the same time, her works offer a subtle commentary on the status of women in contemporary society — a narrative that delicately balances the personal and the universal.

“The Great Round” engages with themes of social and cultural relevance while leaving the interpretation of its deeper layers and nuances open to the viewer. It is an invitation to reflect on the ways femininity has been shaped, challenged, and reimagined across time and cultures — and how these narratives continue to evolve today.

Annika Nuttall