Out of Her Shell

When Moscow-born, London-based artist Yulia losilzon begins a new series of paintings, she first decides on a symbol. For her solo show at Berntson Bhattacharjee Gallery in Fitzrovia, she struck upon a snail. "When I gave birth to my son last year, the snail became my totem animal," she says. "For me, it symbolises motherhood." The creatures are woven into losilzon's fantastical world, where whimsical figures, inspired by fashion and children's book illustrations, are encircled by swirls of colour, painted exuberantly onto silky, transparent fabric. Visitors will also find snails slithering along the canvas frames and around the gallery space in the form of ceramic sculptures. "It's like an Easter egg hunt," she says. "Sometimes it makes sense to have some fun." Downstairs, the playfulness continues with an immersive installation: "I wanted it to feel comforting but also fleshy, bringing the viewer from the outside to the inside of the snail."