In her second solo exhibition at SETAREH, Escapism - My Body Is a Bridge, Maike Illies delves deeply into the complexities of the human form and the surreal landscapes that emerge from our most profound inner states. The exhibition is a visual narrative of escapism, exploring how we seek to distance ourselves from overpowering realities. The body, in all its corporeality and vulnerability, becomes both the subject and the metaphor. “The body is a bridge,” Illies asserts, linking the inner world of dreams, feelings, and memories to the external, concrete experiences of the self. In these works, parts of the figure—eyes, hands, organs—serve as both origins and destinations for the viewer’s gaze, grounding the abstract in the tangible, and inviting reflection on the ways we inhabit and transcend our physical forms.

These paintings offer a simultaneous macro and micro view of the body, zooming in on intimate, often unseen details while also stepping back to reveal it as a vast, living landscape. The viewer is drawn into an environment that feels at once alien and familiar, where space and time are fluid and shifting. With her vibrant, almost otherworldly palette and through abstract forms and vivid colours, Illies engages with a range of intense psychological states, creating a surreal energy that contrasts with the rawness of the sentiments they convey.

A key piece in the exhibition, Eingetrichtert, encapsulates the process of becoming—of absorbing and being absorbed, of allowing external forces to influence and shape the self. The image of a funnel, or the delicate curve of a martini glass, symbolises how we are infused with expectations, opinions, and intoxicating desires. These works speak to the overwhelming nature of contemporary life and the tendency to numb oneself in the face of it all, yet they also suggest moments of cleansing and renewal, such as Kläranlage, which represents Illies’ meditation on purification and transformation. Here, a reclining figure is abstracted and transformed into a landscape, serving as both a metaphor and a literal depiction of this process. The form becomes a „cleansing plant,“ where toxins—both physical and emotional—are filtered and restored. In this internal landscape, the act of purification becomes an inherent transformation that echoes the cycles of growth and healing in nature itself. The female body becomes both the vessel for renewal and the terrain within which it takes place, offering a space where feelings can be processed and released.

Illies’ work celebrates the full spectrum of human experience—especially those aspects often dismissed or ignored. In pieces like Ausbruch, the eruption of blood-like lava becomes a powerful metaphor for the release of pent-up energy, suggesting that catharsis is not only necessary but ultimately liberating. These outbursts, intense and raw, offer a moment of freedom, signalling that what is often hidden or suppressed within must be allowed to surface in order to heal. In Feuerkorb, she opens her ribcage, revealing her inner workings—an act that exposes the deep forces at play. Rather than simply a release, this gesture also symbolises a process of drawing from these internal states, channeling them into energy that fuels personal transformation, turning vulnerability into strength.

Finally, in Endlich, a pair of entwined hands reflects the deep human need for connection and touch, while also hinting at the vulnerability that comes with opening up to another person. The repetition of this gesture alludes to the cyclical nature of relationships: trust, affection, love, and the inevitable pain that accompanies these experiences. Illies’ work opens a space for these powerful states, embracing them in all their intensity and messiness.

By reflecting on the fragile balance between vulnerability and strength, Illies paints the body as a site of transformation. The works speak to the complexity of the human condition, and the power of the physical self to not only withstand but also transcend, transform, and heal. In her vivid landscapes, Illies reminds us that we are both vessels and landscapes—capable of immense transformation, nurturing, and emotional release.