Published in Whitehot Magazine of Contemporary Art, October 2023.  Juanita McNeely’s fiercely beautiful paintings explore taboo subjects that would usually make us squirm and cringe. Shr uses the beauty of refined color, unconventional composition and physical movement to capture our attention and lure us in,  to face uncomfortable truths about abortion, cancer and disability. Although figurative painting often addresses issues of identity politics, it seldom addresses the feelings of bodily pain – with the exception of Frida Kahlo. What makes McNeely’s depictions of naked women so unique is that she presents two sides of women: the agony of being bound down in medical stirrups during gruesome hospital procedures and the perspective of a survivor who soars above the nightmarish suffering by leaping through the air, legs wide open and arms outstretched. If  McNeely’s indomitable spirit did not soar above such agonizing pain with lightness and even humor, it would be too overwhelming to look at her no-holds-barred-paintings.

Link:

https://whitehotmagazine.com/articles/james-fuentes-gallery-los-angeles/6040