It is an archetypal pattern that people dress according to the occasion. The clothing we present ourselves with each day plays a vital role on how we are perceived by others, and Norwegian artist Audun Grimstad has expressed his thoughts on the topic with his latest collection “Body Cage”.

The oil on canvas painting collection is about identity, beauty and the façades we keep around ourselves. Each of the painting features a detail drawn piece of clothing draped over an invisible human body. Grimstad inspiration is drawn from his fascination with Japanese culture as he displays a lot of kimonos in his work— especially the noble junihitoe worn by court-ladies only — are chosen as the subject of these paintings. Additionally, the more modern fashion pieces in the paintings share similar silhouettes with the work of Rei Kawakubo for Comme des Garçons. Japanese influences aside, the ornate garments, lush spaces and bold colours create abstract arrangements that explore issues of beauty, as well as being trapped inside the façades we construct around our  identities. The mysterious paintings also hint at narratives about the human condition and the opposite of hope and regret as central themes.