Tanja Nuijten

Sensual


 Sensual
Installation
Consists of 900 hand painted watercolor painting, 4 minutes long animated film and large format paintings. 
2023-2026





Softly, slugs trace their way across wet lips. Snakes glide gently through fingers, while a bear embraces a woman’s body with a loving hug.

Sensual unfolds as an installation that works with animalistic and poetic metaphors to evoke experiences of intimacy and physical closeness during sexual foreplay. Strong visuals are used to express intimate touch and close physical connection. Slowly, we let our-selves fall into our partner. “Sensual” invites you on a journey along the beautiful, strong, and at the same time vulnerable body of a young woman. We feel skin, warmth, tenderness.

At the core of the installation are around 900 hand-painted watercolors. They not only form the visual foundation of the film but are also presented in accompanying exhibitions as an independent, artistic work in dialogue with the moving image. In addition, the smaller works are expanded through large-scale paintings, extending the same intimate visual language.


Animals serve as metaphors for the partner’s body. Their physical qualities allow us to experience the body in an abstract yet tangible way. Intimacy, which is often difficult to depict, becomes tangible. Slippery and slick, soft and fluffy, sharp and biting.

As the artist of the project Sensual, I have found a way to turn inward and engage with my own emotions. My art allows me to explore emotional themes deeply and to give them a form where words often fall short. Through my work, I give this inner world an expressive form and want to make it accessible to other.

Large Format Paintings



Styleframes






Animated Artworks 

Each frame of the film is individually hand-painted with watercolor on A4 paper, creating the movement of the film.




Exhibitions

 Several factors play a crucial role in the exhibition concept to fully unfold the impact of the project. The numerous A4 watercolors are a central element: Each image functions as a small, independent painting, yet together they form a cohesive visual installation. Combined, they create a synergy that condenses into a larger, interconnected visual space. At the same time, the watercolors can be flexibly adapted to any spatial context and scaled in amount and arrangement. 


 A second essential element is the film itslef, presented alongside the images. Through the film, or selected sequences visitors can not only view each individual image but also experience how the motifs transform in motion. This expands the perception from a static to a dynamic, moving experience. 

Large-format works on canvas or paper are also part of the exhibition. They provide a striking contrast to the smaller watercolors and, through their scale, establish a distinct spatial presence that complements the overall structure of the installation.

Past Exhibitions:

Frank Areal, Ludwigsburg: June – August 2025
Art Walk at JSS, Heilbronn: November 2025





©Tanja Nuijten // Impressum