Jessica Luostarinen Finland, b. 1993

 

Jessica Luostarinen (b. 1993, Finland) explores acts of social performance and quiet ritual through a symbolic, emotionally charged lens. Her paintings are not descriptive but interpretive; forms through which identity is staged, softened, obscured, or remade. In one body of work, Luostarinen revisits the mythology of Joan of Arc, drawing from behind-the-scenes imagery of a mid-20th century film production. These paintings capture moments not of action but of preparation; an actress donning armour, pausing before the role overtakes her. It is not Joan the saint we see, but the process of becoming her. In these liminal scenes, Luostarinen probes the tension between self and symbol, exploring what it means to fabricate an identity, to be armoured, especially now. The armour in these paintings is not purely historical or theatrical—it is personal. For Luostarinen, it becomes a metaphor for the layered defences we construct to navigate the world, particularly as women.