India Clarke (b.2005) is a Liverpool based emerging figurative painter. Drama, myth and personal iconography situate her works in a time where magic endures. Weaponizing the imagination against harmful art historical trends, her queer feminist philosophies show through the layers of jewel-toned oil paint, recalling history painting with criticality, and weaving memories into dream-like entanglements. Her palette is a spectrum of Deep royal purple and mauve, alizarin crimson and pale green. Shining faces and watery serpent coils occupy her paintings. She likens her process to alchemy or making soup, weaving observational research with historical influences. Oil paint gives her work academic intention and timelessness, carefully responding to 19th century and medieval religious painting, but she aligns more closely with the likes of William Blake and surrealist artists such as Leonora Carrington or Dorothea Tanning. Suspense as a theatrical device defines her pieces that play with modes of installation. Figurative paintings hang like marionette puppets, flags or on retired boat sails. Clarke is the recipient of the Susan Dunthorne Travel award, allowing her to research/ visit the galleries of Florence and Milan. She has exhibited throughout the city, in the Bridewell Studios and Gallery, The Royal Standard, LUSH and St. George’s Hall.