Joana Simães' painting explores the contradictory nature of being human. She observes a tension between the formal harmony of academic art and the imperfect nature of the human nature. Her expressive style conveys what is ineffable, psychological and constantly shifting. Working with oil paint on rigid wooden surfaces allows Joana to develop a distinctive graphic expressiveness that heightens the emotional tension. She draws inspiration from artists such as Francisco Goya and Michaël Borremans, exploring ideas of existential anxiety, absurdity, and intimacy. Recognising that the fluidity of inner experience cannot be fully captured in a single, fixed image, Joana creates open-ended images that invite viewers to project their own interpretations onto them.