UNFRAMED GALLERY - HOOGPOORT 59 - 9000 GENT - BELGIUM

Who are you—really?
What makes you you?
Are you a person, or a collection of images?
Are you your belongings, your photographs, your tagged locations?
Did it even happen if there was no snapshot, no story, no proof?
Are you the restaurant you dined at, the trip you posted, the life you curated?

At the core of Nina’s work lies a persistent question: what does it take to be someone in this new world? Is the virtual self more valuable than the physical one? Which version carries more truth? Are we our layers of makeup, our polished reflections, our carefully chosen outfits—or are we the person who shares a quiet, meaningful conversation with a lover, a grandmother, a child?

At first glance, the figures in her paintings appear defined by surfaces: what they wear, what they drive, where they eat. But linger a moment longer and another narrative emerges. Their expressions betray an awareness—they know. They know it is all a performance, and they accept it. This is the game, and participation is compulsory.

The emerging figures embody Nina’s fractured relationship with her own image. Trauma and self-perception intertwine, softened by humor, irony, and self-mockery—as if she is gently winking at the ghosts inhabiting her canvases. She seeks beauty in the grotesque, seducing the viewer with imperfection rather than repelling them. Her painterly technique evokes the sensation of a paused film still: motion suspended, yet charged with energy, as though the image might shift the moment you look away.

In the Under Influence series, Nina confronts identity and everyday reality under the relentless pressure to be someone—to sculpt oneself into the glossy ideals propagated by social media. Her figures radiate strength, paired with a blasé detachment: they recognize the game they are playing. A quiet fatigue lingers on their faces, born from the shallowness of constant self-display, yet tempered by resilience.

This body of work functions as a gentle critique of society—an invitation not to take ourselves too seriously. It acknowledges our collective participation in the pretend game of Instagram: endless love, paradise vacations, Michelin-star dinners, impeccable outfits. But always with a behind-the-scenes reality that is far from rainbows and butterflies.

Some paintings act as anecdotes from Nina’s own life. Through the act of painting, she attempts to make sense of lived situations. In The Fight, she deliberately exposes a side of relationships rarely shown—the uncomfortable, unfiltered moments that resist aesthetic packaging.

While social media is undeniably polarizing, Nina also acknowledges its potential as a space of celebration—where identities can be seen, shared, and uplifted. A place where everyone, in their own way, can exist loudly and unapologetically.

Humans have always lived under influence—throughout history, in shifting forms and guises. Though there is much to unravel and critique, Nina ultimately hopes the viewer can find moments of joy within their own influences today.

The installation The Influencer takes the form of a functional piece of furniture—an altar for contemporary selfhood. It consists of three parts, each essential to becoming someone online. Get Ready With Me serves as the station for makeup and skincare. The altar and library are dedicated to personal growth and spirituality. The final element, Outfit of the Day, prepares you for presentation: put on your shoes, your sunglasses, your armor—and step out to face the world.