Inka Essenhigh is an American painter born in 1969 in Pennsylvania. She studied at Columbus College of Art and Design and received her MFA from the School of Visual Arts in New York. Essenhigh is known for figurative paintings influenced by everyday scenes that blend representational and abstract elements. Her career was boosted by her 1998 inclusion in the influential Pop Surrealism exhibition at the Aldrich Museum, and she has since shown work globally at major galleries.

1. INKA ESSENHIGH
RESEARCH PROJECT #1
ALICEN SIMPSON

2. BIOGRAPHY
• Inka Essenhigh is an American painter
• Born in 1969 in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania
• Graduated high school from Upper Arlington
High School
• Her artwork is mainly influenced by everyday
scenes throughout her life
• Currently lives and works in New York City

3. CAREER
• Studied at Columbus College of Art and Design
• Received Master of Fine Arts from the School of
Visual Arts in New York
• Leader of the contemporary return to figuration
among other renowned artists
• Lisa Yuskavage and Cecily Brown

4. CAREER CONT.
FIRST BIG EXHIBITION AS PART OF THE INFLUENTIAL 1998
POP SURREALISM EXHIBITION AT THE ALDRICH MUSEUM
OF CONTEMPORARY ART
EXHIBITIONS OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS AT
GALLERIES AROUND THE WORLD

5. “MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM”
• Uses elements of shape, color
and texture
• Uses principles of balance,
contrast and movement
• Inka Essenhigh, “Midsummer Night’s
Dream”, 2017, enamel on canvas, 32
by 80 inches
https://www.inkaessenhigh.art/painting-archive-1/#/2017/

6. This piece uses color and texture to create contrast between the different elements in the
scene. The way in which Essenhigh arranged the colors also helps to create balance and
draw the viewer’s eye around. The shapes she used helps create movement across the
canvas and the fluidity of the human-like elements blurs the line between representational
and abstract in the viewer’s mind.

7. “YELLOW FALL”
• Inka Essenhigh
• 2007
• Oil on canvas
• 68 by 74 inches
https://www.inkaessenhigh.art/painting-archive-
1/#/2007/

8. “MOON
CREATURES”
• Inka Essenhigh
• 2015
• Oil on canvas
• 62 by 72 inches
https://www.inkaessenhigh.art/painting-archive-
1/#/2015/

9. WORKS CITED
• “Bio.” Inka Essenhigh, www.inkaessenhigh.art/bio.
• “Inka Essenhigh.” Kavi Gupta Gallery, kavigupta.com/artist/inka-essenhigh/.