Katya Somisen in Warsaw

– “Don’t Be So Emotional”

Katya Somisen: Sensitivity as Strength

Katya Somisen’s latest exhibition, Don’t Be So Emotional, opens to the public from June 5, 2025 at R2ot Gallery in Warsaw, with viewings available by appointment until August 5, 2025, via www.r2ot.com.

Known for her figurative paintings, Somisen explores the human condition through the lenses of emotion, color, and form. Her minimalist compositions — deconstructed human figures rendered in quiet yet powerful gestures — evoke visual symphonies, rich in tension and delicate in essence. These are not illustrations of feelings, but carefully structured emotional architectures, layered and vibrant with intensity.

The inspiration behind this new series stems from a phrase the artist often heard as a child:
“Don’t be so emotional.”
Reframed in the context of her work, this phrase becomes a provocation, a question, and ultimately, a source of empowerment.

“Emotions — often dismissed as irrational — here become a framework for visual language. Not depictions, but structures built from emotional matter. […] Seen through this perspective, being ‘so emotional’ becomes a wellspring of power — shaping memory, meaning, and experience.”

Surface plays a pivotal role in Somisen’s practice. Rather than concealing the canvas, she embraces its texture, working with its grain and imperfections. Light, roughness, and brushstrokes combine to form a tactile emotional topography — paintings that breathe with rawness and radiance.

With a background in music — trained as a pianist, vocalist, and songwriter — Somisen translates musical sensitivity into a distinctly visual language. Her work has been exhibited in Paris, Amsterdam, Warsaw, and featured at events such as Art Show and Targowisko Sztuki. In 2025, she was named a finalist for the Singulart Artist of the Year award. 

This exhibition invites viewers into an intimate dialogue with emotionality — not as weakness, but as strength. Sensitivity emerges as both a method and a message.

About R2OT
R2OT is a new-generation contemporary art gallery founded in 2024, aiming to break away from the conventions of the traditional art market. It offers a transparent and personalized experience for both artists and collectors, simplifying the process of acquiring art — from initial contact to final installation. Located in central Warsaw, the gallery provides a thoughtfully curated and intimate space for meaningful encounters with art. 

By appointment: June 9 – August 5, 2025 (book at www.r2ot.com)

Photos: Aleksandra Pawłowska