Three questions to Sacha van Eerten
About Sacha van Eerten
Sacha van Eerten (Amsterdam, 1993) is a visual artist and architect currently based in Lisbon. At the heart of her work lies a need to observe and question the world around her. She explores painting as a way to capture what is seen, what one wants to express, or a distorted reality. Often colorful and with a touch of humor. Her paintings hold space for ambiguity: between observation and imagination, between intimacy and distance.
Her recent work reflects a fascination with the complexities of looking and being looked at. She explores her connection to her subjects, the tension within power dynamics, and the act of portraying another.
You are also an architect. How do you connect your work as a painter and as an architect? Where do they connect and where do they diverge?
Art and architecture have always felt connected to me, two visual languages that explore themes like history, culture, materiality and color. For me, the ultimate is a Gesamtkunstwerk: ****a total work where art and architecture merge into one. What attracts me to architecture and painting is that, on the one hand, they are traditional disciplines with long and rich histories, and on the other, they reflect the zeitgeist and leave space for new forms of expression.
My own architectural designs were shaped by layers of research, symbolism, and cultural references. They often felt more like artistic manifestos than conventional buildings. But in practice, I found it difficult to express myself in the way I truly wanted. I longed for a more direct and intuitive process, something I found in painting.
You are from the Netherlands and currently living in Lisbon at a residency in Duplex. How does living in Lisbon influence your art?
Living in Lisbon influences my work in several ways. A part of what I create here draws from memories of my surroundings, sometimes as literal representations, other times more abstract interpretations. These are impressions that stay with me after walks through Lisbon and its landscape. Pink has recently become a favorite in my palette.
And of course, the artists I meet during the residency at Duplex. The exchange of ideas, the opportunity to learn new techniques, and the discovery of unfamiliar styles all influence my practice. I’m very excited to see our work come together in two upcoming group exhibitions: at Artroom 23 from July 23rd to 26th, and at Duplex on July 25th.
Can you share the inspiration and thought process behind creating Le Violet Odalisque?
*La Grande Odalisque (*Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, 1814) is one of the most famous interpretations of an odalisque, with many variations following since. I want to add something to this tradition by reimagining it in a different form.
La Grande Odalisque isn’t a reflection of reality, but a Western fantasy filled with symbols of exoticism. Her body is stretched and out of proportion, shaped to match an imagined ideal and created for someone else’s gaze.
Le Violet Odalisque is my interpretation of this iconic painting, the title refers to the tension between masculine and feminine identities. I exaggerated the distortion even further to emphasize the objectification. The fez stands as a symbol of exoticism, while the fabrics are purely decorative to frame the body. The purple skin tone adds a surreal layer to the figure. It reflects my own doubt and questioning whether it is even possible to portray a heterosexual man as an object, and whether it is my place to objectify him at all. The surrealism creates distance and space for ambiguity rather than simple reversal.
Our selection of Sacha's works
