Ruta Jusionyte - My inner animal

My inner animal – Ruta Jusionyte

In this large-scale work, Ruta Jusionyte portrays a young woman standing beside a horse whose presence extends far beyond simple animal representation. Positioned just behind her, almost merging with her silhouette, the animal becomes an inner presence, a silent double, a companion to unseen emotions.

The young woman’s gaze remains calm and slightly distant, while her crossed arms seem both protective and restrained, as if holding something deeply personal. Behind her, the horse emerges in an unexpected palette of deep blues enriched with ochre, white and orange accents. Its almost human eyes establish a quiet dialogue with the viewer and reinforce a feeling characteristic of Ruta Jusionyte’s universe: the boundaries between human beings, animals and the inner world become porous.

Here, the artist explores the coexistence of reason and instinct. The horse, a symbol of freedom, vital force and inner momentum, becomes the visible expression of hidden emotions and silent strengths. It does not dominate the scene; it watches, accompanies and reveals.

The light-filled background, punctuated by enigmatic signs and floating forms, opens a suspended space between reality and imagination. Gestural brushwork, broad colour fields and intentionally visible traces lend the composition a sense of spontaneity that contrasts with the serenity of the figure.

Through this composition, Ruta Jusionyte continues her exploration of an inner bestiary in which the animal becomes a mirror of the self. The work evokes youth, identity in formation and that instinctive part of ourselves that often remains present without ever being fully acknowledged.

Ruta Jusionyte has developed a body of work that is instantly recognizable, at the crossroads of Neo-Expressionism and Magical Realism. Born in 1978 in Lithuania, she lives and works in France and has established herself as a significant figure on the contemporary European art scene.

Her work explores the relationships between humans and animals, in compositions where figures intertwine, respond to one another, and protect each other. Horses, hares, elephants, and hybrid creatures embody inner forces, between instinct and consciousness. Through a warm palette and dense materiality, she develops a powerful pictorial language, both accessible and deeply symbolic.

Awarded the Académie des Beaux-Arts Prize in 2019, Ruta Jusionyte is now sought after by collectors drawn to a form of painting where emotion and visual intensity converge.