Elizabeth Glaessner in her studio in Brooklyn. {Photograph} by Hazel Byers.
Our current Fall challenge contains a portray titled Huge Head, by the Brooklyn-based artist Elizabeth Glaessner: a nearly-seven-foot piece that, for the duvet of challenge no. 257, we shrank all the way down to roughly six inches by 5. This September, we visited Glaessner at her studio in East Williamsburg to take a better have a look at her course of and to listen to the origin story of the portray. On show beside different large-scale works had been replicas of the identical pictures, solely smaller; we realized that Glaessner paints the identical motifs again and again—typically with one hand leaning in opposition to the wall, leaving multicolored prints beside her work.
INTERVIEWER
The place did the thought for Huge Head come from?
ELIZABETH GLAESSNER
Huge Head began with a drawing of a smaller determine rising from a mouth, a picture primarily based on childhood experiences involving concern and faith. I used to be curious to see if I may reframe a few of that imagery by means of portray.
I checked out depictions of exorcisms or cleaning rituals in portray and movie and made some works primarily based on these, in addition to on the unique drawing and from reminiscence. That smaller determine being exorcised within the unique drawing reappears in Huge Head, within the decrease left-hand nook, as a determine portray the mouth from which it emerged. What began as a reminiscence of management and submission turned a portray that was additionally about launch and reflection.
Elizabeth Glaessner, Spirit Rising research, 2025, charcoal on paper (LEFT). Elizabeth Glaessner, Huge Head, 2025, oil on linen (RIGHT). © Elizabeth Glaessner. Each pictures courtesy of Elizabeth Glaessner and P·P·O·W, New York, {photograph} by JSP Artwork Pictures.
A lot modifications throughout the course of, and there’s a freedom in that. Once I painted that head for the ultimate time, I used to be fascinated about the cycle of concern, violence, and management, however I used to be additionally fascinated about the absurdity of portray a determine who’s portray this big head in a studio. I assume I’m all the time hoping to be taught one thing by means of portray. That’s the place a number of the pleasure comes from, when the portray turns into one thing I wouldn’t have anticipated.
{Photograph} by Hazel Byers.
INTERVIEWER
There’s lots of water in these work.
GLAESSNER
The present that Huge Head was in was known as “Operating Water.” I had been listening to a Daniel Johnston album whereas I used to be working, and in one in every of his songs he says, “Operating water / The place are you operating from? / You all the time appear to be on the run.” I believed it was a phenomenal and unhappy metaphor and, in a approach, it felt linked to how I used to be fascinated about these work. This concept of being in fixed movement however by no means actually escaping your self.
The figures had been fairly porous—there have been our bodies, however the our bodies form of interfered with or had been stretched or distorted by the setting. They didn’t have autonomous borders. They weren’t these closed entities. There was lots of leaking and expelling in that present.
INTERVIEWER
Why did you name it Huge Head?
GLAESSNER
With an intense portray, I all the time wish to discover room for humor or levity. I believe titles are a chance to distinction the dominant feeling, and may truly make that feeling extra palpable. The title form of teases the portray. It’s a tiny individual portray an enormous head, which sounds prefer it could possibly be in regards to the ego. I needed to prod that concept.
INTERVIEWER
What else do you hearken to when you’re working?
GLAESSNER
I am going by means of totally different phases. I used to hearken to audiobooks or information podcasts, however not too long ago I’ve simply been listening to music within the studio. If I’m engaged on drawings or small work, I’ll hearken to one thing ambient in order that I can focus and listen to myself assume. Once I work on a bigger scale, I’ll hearken to no matter helps me get into the fitting temper for the portray. If it goes effectively, then I’ll hearken to that album on repeat till I’ve moved on. It helps me get into this trance state.
INTERVIEWER
What are you studying now?
GLAESSNER
I simply picked up No Longer Human by Osamu Dazai. I believe it’s about alienation, or what it’s wish to be human however not really feel it—we’ll see.
{Photograph} by Hazel Byers.
Hazel Byers is the Overview’s engagement editor.
Izzy Casey is the Overview’s enterprise and occasions supervisor.
Elizabeth Glaessner is a visible artist.
