Imogen Marsteller
Marsteller distinctively blends graphic and painterly elements, evident in her bold use of line, playful color choices, and shading.
The artist tells coming-of-age stories, seeking inspiration from her own life, the women around her, and the collective narrative of women’s experiences.
Born in Tucson, Arizona, Imogen Marsteller is a painter currently based in London.
Marsteller has a broad range of art-historical influences, embracing the lively aesthetics of Pop Art, the classical beauty of the Renaissance, and the dramatic dynamism of the Baroque.
Imogen Marsteller holds a Master of Fine Arts from Goldsmiths, University of London (2023) and a Bachelor of Arts with a concentration in Visual Arts and Art and Architectural History from Sarah Lawrence College in New York. She has recently attended a residency program at the Fish Factory Creative Centre in Stöðvarfjörður, Iceland, where she thrived in a context of relative isolation, allowing her to experiment freely.
Marsteller’s works have been exhibited at galleries in London and greater New York. Notable showcases include the Annual Open Exhibition at Southwark Park Gallery, Figuratively Speaking at Maximilian Wolfgang Gallery, and The Hari Art Prize at A Space for Art in London.
The artist’s ultimate objective is to convey vulnerability, depicting both the social and secretive aspects, while revealing the intimate and tragic moments of life.
From an expressive and unconventional Valentine’s Day imagery to a feminist reinterpretation of a myth, the paintings presented in this collection unveil a rich spectrum of emotions and narratives. The artist adeptly navigates themes, encompassing the trials of forging connections in a new environment to the nuanced expressions of love, loss, and resilience.
Having requested friends to capture and share images depicting how they cope and unwind during challenging times, Marsteller received a response from one friend in the form of a photo. The image portrays the friend releasing stress by screaming into a pillow. The artist found this expression particularly fitting for the political climate and, as a result, felt compelled to paint it.
Marsteller painted this work around Valentine’s Day, expressing a desire to create a mockery of conventional Valentine’s Day imagery. The intention was to convey the concept of a femme fatale murder mystery, commencing with the unmistakable evidence of her victim’s demise.
In the aftermath of any breakup, whether it be a friendship or a romantic relationship, a profound sense of loss envelops individuals, as if a part of themselves is slipping away, tethered to their hearts. The inspiration for these emotions is drawn from the song “Head and Heart on Fire” by the Swedish singer Leon—a poignant anthem that deeply resonated with Marsteller during the creation of this piece.
Crafted at the dawn of a new relationship, this painting reflects a moment when Marsteller embarked on a journey with her now-boyfriend of two years. Despite being a painter who predominantly portrays her own likeness, the vulnerability of intimacy made her feel remarkably shy. In reality, she often finds herself retreating, as she is inherently body-shy—a facet not easily revealed in her art.
Sometimes paintings do not turn out the way you want them to. The first version of a painting may be stabbed with the end of a paintbrush and torn off the canvas in anger, but there is something rather beautiful about seeing it beside the version you actually finished.
Marsteller presents a feminist and personal reinterpretation of the Medusa myth, narrating the tale of a woman transformed into a monster after enduring an assault on the steps of Athena’s temple. The narrative challenges the unfair attribution of blame to the woman for her own misfortune.
Crafted upon completing her master’s degree, this painting emerged from Marsteller’s sense of disillusionment as the weight of numerous rejections began to take its toll on her pursuit of success. In response to this emotional turbulence, she sought to create something beautiful from the profound feeling of loss.
Inspired by a prompt for a show commemorating the closure of the Peacocks clothing store, Marsteller visited the now-abandoned shop. Amidst the remnants, she discovered a vast pile of old bright green clothing tags, which now form the preserved background of the painting. The artwork evokes the familiar feeling of having a closet full of clothes while still experiencing the sensation of having nothing to wear, a sentiment with which the artist resonates.
Upon her initial move to London, Marsteller faced the daunting challenge of establishing connections and friendships, as she did not know a single person in the city. This painting captures the essence of her bonds, woven through online interactions on her laptop with friends and family residing far away. The computer and cords within the artwork serve as symbols, embodying the absence of tangible connections with those who genuinely cared about her.
Being an artist is about resilience, and wild self-belief, or at the least the delusion of self-belief.
Artworks
-
Imogen Marsteller Head and Heart on Fire (2021)Oil on canvas
(h) 100 x (w) 100 x (d) 2.5 cm
-
Imogen Marsteller I Have Nothing to Wear (2022)Ink stamp, store tags, oil sticks…
(h) 90 x (w) 90 x (d) 3.8 cm
-
Imogen Marsteller I Killed Them (2020)Aqua oil and oil on canvas
(h) 70 x (w) 50 cm
-
Imogen Marsteller In The Face of Constant Rejection (2023)Oil on linen
(h) 150 x (w) 150 x (d) 4 cm
-
Imogen Marsteller Io Sono Nuda (2022)Pigment, graphite, colour pencil…
(h) 80 x (w) 50 x (d) 4 cm Each four
-
Imogen Marsteller Lost Connection (2022)Pigment, oil and graphite on linen
(h) 100 x (w) 80 x (d) 4 cm
-
Imogen Marsteller Scream (2022)Oil on canvas
(h) 100 x (w) 85 x (d) 4 cm
-
Imogen Marsteller We Are More Than The Victims They Make Us Out to Be (2022)Graphite and oil on linen
(h) 90 x (w) 80 x (d) 4 cm
Discover emerging artists
Latest Articles
Art Basel 2026: Visibility, Presence, Scale
Bringing together 290 galleries from 43 countries, Art Basel 2026 extends from historical anchors through contemporary practices into increasingly constructed, large-scale environments. The fair still functions as a central meeting point for the market, but its relevance now depends less on discovery and more on how effectively it concentrates attention across multiple, tightly managed spaces. For more than half a
Medina Triennial 2026: All That Sustains Us
The Medina Triennial unfolds along the Erie Canal in Western New York as a village-wide exhibition titled All That Sustains Us. It brings together 39 artists and collectives in a free, walkable programme across post-industrial and public sites, linking contemporary art with ecology, labour, and infrastructure. Co-curated by Kari Conte and Karin Laansoo, the Triennial positions Medina as an active
Second Lives and City Lit Partnership Announced at Burgh House Breakfast
Second Lives, an exhibition platform celebrating artists who have developed their practice alongside other careers, entered a new chapter with a gathering at Burgh House. Hosted by founder Paula Lent, the event brought together artists, curators, and leaders to celebrate a partnership with City Lit. The breakfast brought together a diverse community of creatives, curators and cultural leaders to reflect
David Hockney (1937–2026): Pools, Landscapes, Perspective
David Hockney, pioneering British artist, has died aged 88, closing a six-decade career that reshaped painting, photography, and stage design. From California swimming pools to Yorkshire landscapes, he redefined perspective, embraced technology, and created instantly recognisable works that fused intimacy, colour, and innovation across media. He died on 11 June 2026, at home, according to his representatives. They described a
London Gallery Weekend 2026: How a Dispersed Scene Becomes One
London possesses one of the world’s most extensive and geographically dispersed gallery ecosystems. London Gallery Weekend 2026 brings together more than 120 galleries, over 80 public events, a growing network of institutional partnerships and a citywide programme spanning multiple neighbourhoods. Now in its sixth edition, the initiative has become a key fixture in the international art calendar, creating a framework
Art Osaka 2026: Contemporary Art Through the Lens of Kansai
Art Osaka 2026 enters a new phase with an expanded two venue format spanning Grand Green and Creative Center. Bringing together more than 60 galleries from Japan and across Asia, the fair connects commercial presentations, large scale installations, and regional histories through a distinctly Kansai perspective. Founded in 2002, Art Osaka is among Japan’s longest-running contemporary art fairs. Organised by
