Enter Gallery is delighted to announce the arrival of a brand new exclusive piece from Brighton artist, Sarah Arnett.

Transforming Maria is an elegant silkscreen print, featuring an ethereal-yet-mighty goddess illuminated by the light of a golden moon.

Below, we reveal a little about the inspiration behind the exclusive, and tell you everything you need to know about the impressive and varied career of Sarah Arnett.   

Transforming Maria  

One of the elements that makes Arnett’s art so special is the fact that every piece is infused with a sense of narrative. Whether inspired by architecture, nature, travel, poetry, or in this instance – film, every piece has a unique fantasy style, that in Arnett’s words, ‘let’s you into an indulgent paradise, leaving you feeling like you’ve woken from a dream.’

Transforming Maria is inspired by the 1927 German sci-fi movie, Metropolis. The pioneering  silent film, directed by Fritz Lang and written by Thea von Harbou, is widely-considered to be the world’s first full-length science fiction movie.

Metropolis is a modern parable. Made during Germany’s Weimar period, which ended with Hitler being appointed Chancellor, the film is set in a futuristic urban dystopia where a huge gulf exists between the rich and poor. The ruling system is a patriarchy, and in the story although women’s rights are never explicitly invoked, the male objectification of women becomes the reason for the rulers’ downfall. 

The subject at the heart of Arnett’s new piece is inspired by Maria, the character portrayed in the film by Brigitte Helm, who plays both the real Maria and a robot Maria sent to sabotage workers’ plans to rise up against the system. Arnett explains: 

‘In the film, we see Maria transform from women to robot, and from saint to sinner. The revolutionary tale subverts the typical sexist trope of the female being portrayed either as a saint or a whore. Ultimately, both Marias exploit societal expectations to bring down the male patriarchy.’

 

‘My piece, Transforming Maria, combines both the good and bad versions of Maria. My interpretation is a combination of both beauty and strength for a modern time, where women don’t want to be just one thing or another.’  

Pure escapism

For those not yet familiar with the flamboyant art of Sarah Arnett, allow us to reveal a little more about this prolific artist, known for ‘producing fantastical landscapes, intertwining the iconic Regency architecture of the seaside city of Brighton, with the tropical scenery of her formative years abroad.’ 

Whether it’s in textile design, fashion, interiors or fine art illustration, Arnett’s work offers complete immersion in the colourful world of the imagination. Her womenswear collection has sold in over 100 luxury stores worldwide, and her lifestyle brand collaboration, Modern Love, was showcased at Liberty as one of their first, ‘Best of British’ labels.

Arnett’s signature style of elegant beauty, created via hand-painting, photography and digital illustration, has expanded into the world of bespoke wallpaper, editorial illustration, and as you’ll see from her collection at Enter Gallery – a beautiful selection of limited edition artworks that add a touch of glamour to any wall.

Transforming Maria is available in two sizes: XL, which is from a limited edition of just five, and is finished with gold leaf and diamond dust, and Small (A1), which is from a limited edition of 50, and if you snap up yours in the next two weeks, Arnett will hand-finish your small print with gold leaf.