Excerpt translated from German:

"Intimate self-portraits as part of an ongoing examination of her own post-traumatic stress disorder are also central themes in Jamie Luoto’s work.

She also draws from occult and horror genres for her symbolic visual language, through which she exposes invisible symptoms of sexual abuse—such as flashbacks or nightmares. The artist, born in 1987, refers to art-historical influences from Dutch Masters of the 17th century and the Surrealists. Her paintings arise intuitively, yet are meticulously planned, says Luoto. For her, part of being a woman means constantly engaging with ambiguity—something that can be difficult to understand and complex to navigate socially, culturally, and professionally. Ambiguity is important in her paintings, because it allows her to communicate what the work is about while creating a space for dialogue.

Ambiguity enables viewers to connect their own experiences, values, and realities with the work.. In her painting They Make Us What We Were Not, only the reflection of the woman reveals her nudity. In the upper left corner, a shadow emerges—a male presence lurking in the darkness, while her hand hovers uncertainly above a carving knife. What is she about to do? Does she have the strength to resist?

Condoms appear in spilled liquid or in the eyes of cats; apple cores lie on rumpled sheets. The imagery points to the bilateral relationship between victim and environment. In her compositions, Luoto explores the lasting psychological effects on her body—a body that has survived sexual assault—while simultaneously reclaiming control over her own experiences. Jamie Luoto’s portrayal of naked and vulnerable female figures tempts viewers to sexualize them, thereby pointing to a culture that continues to enable sexual violence."