Despoina Kantere - "Another era", oil on panel, 80x60 cm

"Anoter era", an 60 × 80 cm oil painting has a strong psychological presence. The restrained palette makes the red garment especially effective: it becomes the clearest visual anchor in an otherwise dark, muted field. That contrast gives the painting tension without needing a busy composition.
The figure feels deliberately isolated by the surrounding darkness. The face, torso, and arm emerge gradually from the background rather than being sharply separated from it, which creates an intimate, almost theatrical atmosphere. The expression is especially important: it is quiet and direct, but difficult to read, giving the portrait an unsettled emotional ambiguity.
The brushwork appears loose and painterly rather than polished. That suits the subject well. Areas such as the hair and background are suggested through broad tonal masses, while the lighter skin is built with more visible shifts in value. The result feels immediate and physical, with the material quality of oil paint remaining noticeable instead of being hidden.
Compositionally, the long vertical format works well with the standing figure. The bent arm creates a strong horizontal interruption across the body, preventing the composition from becoming too static. The bright red lower section also gives the image weight near the bottom, balancing the illuminated face higher in the canvas.
One of the most successful aspects is the limited lighting. Rather than describing everything equally, the painting lets parts of the figure disappear into shadow. That selective visibility creates depth and keeps attention on the emotional character of the portrait.
Overall, the work reads as a somber, introspective figurative painting with a contemporary expressionist quality. Its strongest features are the dark atmosphere, economical color scheme, ambiguous expression, and the contrast between fragile pale tones and the assertive red. At 60 × 80 cm, it is large enough for the figure to have real physical presence while still retaining the closeness of a personal portrait.


I live in Sweden. I have been drawing and painting in oil the last decate.
I am focusing on people's faces and emotions and their bodies` expression. I try to reveal and to put down on canvas the soul. I am always trying to do better and better in order to take care of every detail that is important for the ultimate. I spend many hours on every piece throughout several weeks. Through my Art I try to express both the need of us humans to connect to others but also at the same time the absolute fact that we are the masters of our bodies and our minds. My art is unified, poetic, calm and turbulent at the same time and it always evolves.