“My paintings explore themes of aspiration and escapism, the dental series stem from an interest in cosmetic dentisry the desire for aesthetic improvement, the artistry of dentistry. The idea of the work is to create a connection between the veneer of the painted surface and the veneers on teeth, thin coverings concealing chips, stains or imperfections. There is a long tradition of dental paintings that have interested me including, Los Caprichos: Out hunting for Teeth (1797) a print from a series by Francisco Jose de Goya, featuring a young woman pulling the teeth from a hanging corpse, teeth valued in sorcery, she will use them to cast a love spell. Serving inspiration in A Tooth drawer Concealing the key from the patient by Luciano Nezzo (b.1856) a painting of contrasts between a vulnerable woman submitting to an unkempt dental surgeon concealing a dental key, a tool which could cause trauma to the soft tissue in her mouth. Many of these historical paintings portray dentistry as a brutal and sometimes unhygienic practice, with large forceps extracting teeth. Like painting, dentistry is an art form, in my paintings I have referred to this history but instead portrayed them as sterile and meticulous practices, there is a perceived pain in the pursuit of perfection.
In Dry Socket, a pair of gloved hands hold open a mouth, while injecting an anaesthetic into the gums, a bright light illuminates the face. The start of a surgery, a performance/procedure about to begin. I have tried to emphasise the relation between the submissive patient who is entirely in the hands of the dominant dental surgeon.”
Lydia Blakeley creates striking paintings inspired by everyday life, exploring aspiration and the curated self-presentation of social media. Her subjects include holiday scenes, trendy food, and elite pets, reflecting how we idealize life online. Using a polished, detached style, her process involves pink underpaintings, pastel sketches, and refined details. Since earning her MFA at Goldsmiths in 2019, she has exhibited widely, including solo shows like Hold on for Dear Life at Niru Ratnam Gallery.
