At a glance
Faceless figures emerge from a chaotic assembly of wigs, jewellery, and faux fur, turning the tools of feminine adornment into unsettling, puppet-like forms.
Meet the artist
Why go
These seven new large-scale paintings offer a sharp, contemporary take on surrealist figuration, focusing on the tension between synthetic textures and the performative nature of traditional gender roles.
You'll see
New acrylic and oil paintings · Tights and tangled fabrics · Nocturnal interiors · Puppet-like limbs · Clashing textures
Pace of visit
The show is concentrated in a single space, allowing for a focused look at the intricate layering of Scaccia's brushwork.
Don't miss
The interplay between the nocturnal backgrounds and the synthetic sheen of the painted fabrics, which creates a strange, stage-like atmosphere.
Artlovers Tip
View the paintings from across the room before moving closer; the figurative forms seem to dissolve into abstract tangles of fabric as you approach.
A visually immediate but psychologically strange exhibition that suits the gallery’s scale extremely well. The seven-painting format is concise enough to examine every surface and recurring object closely.
Worth a special detour? Only for visitors particularly interested in new figurative painting.
Worth adding to an Upper East Side route? Definitely.
Inside the exhibition
Groomed — Bea Scaccia brings seven new large-scale works to Gagosian on Manhattan's Upper East Side in New York City. The exhibition presents the artist's latest exploration of contemporary surreal figuration, where domestic objects and fashion accessories are used to construct faceless, anxious bodies.
Scaccia works primarily in acrylic and oil, layering textures like faux fur, tangled tights, and costume jewellery to create puppet-like limbs. The paintings are set against dark, nocturnal interiors that highlight the clashing surfaces and the synthetic materials often associated with the performance of femininity.
By removing the face and focusing on the objects that decorate the body, Scaccia shifts the attention to the psychological weight of self-presentation. This collection of new paintings offers a tactile yet unsettling look at how identity is assembled through the things we wear and the roles we play.
Worth travelling for?
A sharp and visually arresting stop for those interested in how contemporary painting reinterprets Surrealism through the lens of fashion and identity.
Experience as an Artlover
The exhibition is located at the Park & 75 space of Gagosian in Manhattan and is free to enter during regular gallery hours.
Groomed — Bea Scaccia
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