My work explores the fragile space where internal struggle meets external perception.
I am drawn to the tension between control and collapse — the moment a composed exterior begins to reveal subtle signs of exhaustion, pain, or resistance. Through bold color and distorted figures, I give form to psychological states that are often suppressed or concealed.
In my paintings, bruises, dark circles, and tired expressions do not function as symbols of weakness. Instead, they become markers of endurance — quiet, visible traces of persistence.
My figures often resist clear categorization. They exist in an in-between state, shaped by features that may be read as feminine, yet refusing fixed identity. Through this instability, I question how bodies are interpreted, defined, and controlled by societal norms.
For me, painting is a way to disrupt these norms without declaring them. I am not interested in perfection, but in presence — creating images that feel unresolved, yet undeniable.

Biography

In his stylized, character-driven paintings, Juli (b. 1998) portrays exaggerated figures that challenge social stereotypes and conventional ideas of identity and the body. Through bold color and distorted forms, these characters emerge as symbolic personas navigating the tension between vulnerability and defiance.
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Subtle details such as bruises, dark circles, and tired expressions reveal traces of emotional strain and bodily vulnerability beneath the figures’ outward confidence, reflecting tensions surrounding body image and social expectations.
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Juli was born in Germany, where he currently lives and works. His practice centers on painting and extends into sculptural and object-based work.