AKT III/24 ("Will I Be Pretty, Will I Be Rich")

This captivating artwork features a solitary figure in a delicate pose, standing in front of a bathroom mirror. The subject, clad in a floral-patterned bikini, displays a sense of serene introspection. The background is a soft palette of warm beige and light browns, contrasting beautifully with the cool tones of the counter and the reflective surface of the mirror. The combination of these elements creates a tranquil atmosphere, inviting viewers to reflect on moments of vulnerability and self-acceptance. The texture of the painting, particularly in the figure's outline and the polished wood of the cabinetry, adds depth and dimension, making it a striking focal point in any room.
This painting would be perfect for use in a modern bathroom or a chic bedroom, creating an inviting and intimate ambiance. It can also complement minimalist spaces or serve as a statement piece in a boutique-style café or spa, enhancing the overall aesthetic with its warm, reflective qualities.

How can the artistic act be made interesting and new in a time of sensory overload due to the ubiquitous depiction of nudity? Blunk has been addressing this question for a long time. A possible answer - his answer - is the idea of making the figure disappear from his oil paintings by carving it out of the picture support at the end of the painting process. Instead of recognizable individuals, abstract surfaces are created in the wood. These enable the viewer to interpret the figure in their own way. At the same time, this technique questions our viewing habits and our deeply stored ideals of beauty. Because the carved figures in Blunk's nudes can be read as ideal-typical bodies that move in classical pictorial spaces. The viewer often thinks he recognizes them immediately, since he encounters them every day in fashion photography, but also in television and cinema, in erotic or pornographic photography. At first glance, Blunk walks the fine line between kitsch and over-aestheticized eroticism. At second glance - and this is where his superficial statement breaks - the artist leads us into our own visual memory, which allows us to fill the empty projection surfaces with great certainty. In this way, our subconscious ideas of beauty and youth, of self-optimization and diet mania are questioned.