Inner Barbie World

It's easy to say what may have influenced Mari Sunna's painting; there's a bit of existential stuff such as Munch and Bacon, there's some Luc Tuymans (Tuymans has influenced an absurd number of young artists recently) and there's a bit of exaggerated femininity, which suggests the artist has been taking a close look at Barbie dolls or similar. If Barbie's inner psychic existence could be externalised visually, this might be it. Melancholy, moody and troubled (because of being valued for all the wrong reasons, no doubt), Barbie's compliant appearance is obviously a front for the drugged-out wild child within. Fab!

Neal Brown