An exploration of the themes found in lisa holden works - Defalco Dispatch

Sarah Jenkins April 10, 2026
Lisa Holden

In her latest seriesHoldenexploresthe narrative and lyrical world of opera, with her usual verve. Theworksembody the emotivethemesof Iris by Pietro Mascagni, the story of a subjugated Japanese woman - an opera that preceded Puccini’s Butterfly - depicting hope, desire, innocence and tragedy.She combines digital imagery with hand-painted layers to create 'parallel realities', referring to theexplorationof displacement, adoption and the reinvention of identity as a necessity for survival.LisaHolden’sworkexploresthemesrelating to memory, and personal and collective identity. Her poetic, multi-layered images often reference 19th century art, from the Pre-Raphaelites to Klimt and Schiele.LisaHolden'sart is bound up in her search for identity and meaning--both personal and universal. Her use of multiple art forms--photography, painting, video and performance art--are combined digitally in these large scale colorworksthat borrow from all points of our culture.Lisacombines digital imagery with hand-painted layers to create 'parallel realities', referring to theexplorationof displacement, adoption and the reinvention of identity as a necessity for survival.ButHolden'simagery stands apart with her interest inthemesof identity and gender combined with fantasy and art historical precedents, as well as for her unique process that merges photography with painting and sometimes installation and performance art.

She combines digital imagery with hand-painted layers to create 'parallel realities', referring to theexplorationof displacement, adoption and the reinvention of identity as a necessity for survival.LisaHolden’sworkexploresthemesrelating to memory, and personal and collective identity. Her poetic, multi-layered images often reference 19th century art, from the Pre-Raphaelites to Klimt and Schiele.LisaHolden'sart is bound up in her search for identity and meaning--both personal and universal. Her use of multiple art forms--photography, painting, video and performance art--are combined digitally in these large scale colorworksthat borrow from all points of our culture.Lisacombines digital imagery with hand-painted layers to create 'parallel realities', referring to theexplorationof displacement, adoption and the reinvention of identity as a necessity for survival.ButHolden'simagery stands apart with her interest inthemesof identity and gender combined with fantasy and art historical precedents, as well as for her unique process that merges photography with painting and sometimes installation and performance art.

LisaHolden’sworkexploresthemesrelating to memory, and personal and collective identity. Her poetic, multi-layered images often reference 19th century art, from the Pre-Raphaelites to Klimt and Schiele.

LisaHolden'sart is bound up in her search for identity and meaning--both personal and universal. Her use of multiple art forms--photography, painting, video and performance art--are combined digitally in these large scale colorworksthat borrow from all points of our culture.

Lisacombines digital imagery with hand-painted layers to create 'parallel realities', referring to theexplorationof displacement, adoption and the reinvention of identity as a necessity for survival.

ButHolden'simagery stands apart with her interest inthemesof identity and gender combined with fantasy and art historical precedents, as well as for her unique process that merges photography with painting and sometimes installation and performance art.

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