In Flora Yukhnovich’s immersive paintings, glimpses of art historical styles are spliced with references drawn from contemporary films, music, literary sources and consumer culture. ‘Fast and Loose’ (2024), a new work by London-based artist, explores contemporary expressions of the idea of Bacchanalia, ancient Roman festivals celebrating Bacchus, the Greco-Roman god of wine, freedom and ecstasy.

Drawing on 17th century depictions of Bacchanal celebrations by Peter Paul Rubens and Nicolas Poussin, Yukhnovich’s rendering of this ritualistic scene introduces dynamism and eroticism in the space of representation and abstraction. The notion of excess, and mining the deliberate discomfort it brings, is present in the swirling forms of grapes and raw flesh in ‘Fast and Loose,’ evoking a rhythm and energy that flows between luxury and violence.