The Courageous Eye: Paintings and Body Art by Svenja Schmitt Jödicke

Berlin based artist Svenja Jödicke, also known as Svenja Schmitt, is all about eyes. Her beautiful paintings feature fanciful and brightly colored eyes, set forth in mediums such as watercolor, acrylic paint and collage. In 2012, she departed from the world of conventional painting to focus on body art and photography. “Eyes were and still are always the main focus of all her works, as they fascinate her and are able to tell unspoken stories” (from her site on DeviantART).

Jödicke models new looks, new characters, on herself not only through the use of elaborate eye make-up and colored contacts, but through the use of ribbons, buttons, jewels, feathers, flowers, and even snails and insects, including wasps. It is the combination of small animals with makeup and eyes that inspired her to pursue her unusual artistic path. She uses both dead and live animals, with care to not damage or hurt them. You can see her stunning body art here. Entrancing! Most of us would never think to combine such things, let alone do it with such courage and style.