Jenny Saville: The Body as a Canvas of Change

Jenny Saville: A Journey Through Flesh and Form

Step into Jenny Saville's world—a space where colossal heads glow with intensity and inquisitiveness. Nestled in her studio in Oxford, the atmosphere is thick with creative ambition. "I'll just rub the paint in and make it have a sort of inner light that's left here. It's a special thing that only paint can do actually,” she mused, conveying her philosophy on the symbiosis of paint and emotion.

The Quest for Essence

Saville expresses a desire to distill the essence of humanity in her works. “If you paint figuratively, that's what it's about really. It's some sort of communication of the unspoken,” she explains. This interaction between body and canvas takes on new dimensions with each brushstroke, revealing layers of vulnerability and strength.

“There's not a sort of start point [to my fascination with flesh]. Artists like Freud, Bacon, and Picasso have shaped my perspective,” Saville reflects. “You just develop along a certain way and build your language.”

Breaking Boundaries with Propped

Her breakout moment came with the audacious self-portrait Propped, created at 21 and later selling for over $12 million at auction. The painting caught the attention of Charles Saatchi, leading to a transformative commission. “It's incredible opportunity for a 21-year-old,” Saville recalls. “I just got to work."

The Relational Nature of Bodies

Saville navigates the complications of the female form through a curious and clinical gaze. Her painting, Planned, displays a torso marked for liposuction, showcasing her interest in the narratives our bodies tell. “If you have a cosmetic surgery book, it'll show you how flesh is moved around the body for reconstruction,” she shares, emphasizing that this exploration is not about objectification. “I saw it as the relationship with nature.”

Motherhood and Abundance

Saville's recent retrospective at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth highlights her devotion to the female experience, particularly motherhood. “It's a period in a woman's life that's just absolutely amazing and poignant. I wanted to communicate that,” she explains about her painting The Mothers.

Visions Beyond the Canvas

In her latest exhibition in Venice, at age 55, Saville remains a towering figure in the art world. With the ability to command millions for her paintings, she reflects on the irony of financial valuation in art. “I just don't think like that. This painting isn't gonna get better because it's gonna be worth more money,” she asserts.

“A painting can be the price of a house that a family can live in, and when you look at it like that, you think this is absurd,” she laughs. “But art tends to thrive in financially supported environments, and we are living through one of those times.”

Conclusion: The Artist as a Creative Rebel

Saville's esteem is rooted not just in monetary value but in the authentic engagement she fosters with her work. As she continues her journey, she remains grateful for the process itself. “Oh my gosh. Absolutely! I've lived my life doing what I loved,” Saville concludes, embodying the spirit of a true artist. If her work navigates complex themes of identity, emotion, and the female experience, it also sends a loud and clear message: art, in all its forms, is an invaluable part of the human landscape.

For More Info:

• Jenny Saville (Instagram)
• Gagosian: Jenny Saville
• Jenny Saville at Ca' Pesaro, Venice (through Nov. 22)
• Exhibition Catalogue: "Jenny Saville: The Anatomy of Painting," by Jenny Saville (Rizzoli Electa)