Artist Overview
Born in Zurich in 1986 and now based in New York, Santana trained in Switzerland before developing a practice centred on the deconstructed female form. Her paintings begin from the Old Master tradition of the nude but dissolve it: bodies are smeared, doubled, and softened into near-abstraction, refusing the fixed, consumable image. The result is a painting that is simultaneously sensual and critical — beauty held in tension with a pointed interrogation of how women have been looked at.
Two works were acquired in a combined January 2025 placement: Pussyfooting (2024, 221 × 195.6 cm) and Equipoise. Both are large-scale oils that anchor the collection's contemporary female figurative position alongside Moka Lee.
Institutional Trajectory
Santana's work has circulated through an international exhibition programme spanning Switzerland, the United States, and Asia, with growing art-fair presence. Her practice aligns with the dominant curatorial and market current of the past decade — the reassessment of the female figurative tradition — which has driven sustained institutional attention to artists working the female gaze. Critical positioning is strengthening as the cohort consolidates.
Female Figurative Cohort
International Fair Presence
Zurich · New York
13-Dimension Scoring Framework
| Category | Score |
|---|
| Contemporary Relevance | 4.7 |
| Underrepresented Narratives | 4.6 |
| Sustainability & Conservation | 4.3 |
| Aesthetic Impact | 4.2 |
| Acquisition Logistics | 4.1 |
| Mission Alignment | 4.0 |
| Conceptual Depth | 3.9 |
| Medium Innovation | 3.8 |
| Collection Building | 3.8 |
| Education & Engagement | 3.6 |
| Critical Reception | 3.2 |
| Market Validation | 3.1 |
| Historical Significance | 2.3 |
Holding Overview — Pussyfooting + Equipoise, 2024
2 Works
Pussyfooting (221 × 195.6 cm) + Equipoise · Primary market · January 2025 · Large-scale oil on canvas
Primary
Acquired directly at primary market · Gallery placement · Favourable cost basis relative to comparable artists
Emerging
Secondary market developing · Strong collector demand within the female figurative painting cohort
Representation & Market
Santana sits within the most actively collected segment of contemporary painting. Primary market demand for large-scale works is strong, with gallery placements managed through waitlists. Secondary market activity is early but building as the female figurative cohort matures. Combined-work acquisition at primary market represents efficient entry at a favourable cost basis relative to the trajectory of comparable artists.
Primary Market Placement
Waitlist Demand
Female Figurative
Collection Rationale
Santana anchors the collection's contemporary female figurative axis alongside Moka Lee, with a distinctly European, body-focused perspective on the gaze. Her two-work holding provides depth in a single artist within a cohort experiencing sustained demand. Oil on canvas is conservation-stable. Positioned for institutional uptake as the female reclamation narrative continues to drive the market. Monitor critical reception and museum acquisitions as the key value catalysts.
Female Gaze
Deconstructed Nude
Two-Work Holding
Dialogue with Moka Lee
