*1969
Europe
Duty
Sabine
2238
Artist ID:
COLLECTIONS | GALLERIES
Nicholas Treadwell Gallery
Red Carpet Art Award
AWARDS / FUNDING
2020 | We Fund Your Art
2020 | Anne Goldenberg Women’s Art Grant
2018 | EGA Art Award, Special Prize
Brief Biography & Artistic Journey
VITA
1969 | Born in Vienna
2011 | Guest semester at the Academy of Fine Arts, Vienna with Wolfgang Marx (Surface Support | Figurative Painting)
2019 | Guest semester with Veronika Dirnhofer (Drawing)
Since 2019 | Freelance visual artist (self-taught)
HELGA ZUMSTEIN | ON SABINE DUTY
The Way You Are
“Am I beautiful?” was the title of an exhibition by Austrian artist Sabine Duty, whose unvarnished truth and utterly unique painting technique never cease to astonish me. Unlike my oil paintings, her medium demands days or even weeks for each piece—testament not only to her talent but also her extraordinary patience.
Above all, Sabine Duty possesses courage: the bravery to depict what glossy magazines conceal. As girls, many of us learn to shame our bodies for diverging from a narrow ideal—yet that ideal excludes most of humanity. Duty’s figures are often unclothed not only in the sense of nudity but in their fearless exposure of every intimate detail.
She embraces unflattering perspectives to draw our gaze to perceived flaws or the hidden realities beneath clothing. Sometimes the external form even hints at life experience—drinking addiction, drug dependency, motherhood. Here is life in all its raw, unfiltered vibrancy, masterfully rendered by Duty.
That level of unflinching observation requires courage: courage toward the model, the audience, and oneself. As an artist, I admire her for shining a scientific light on the body, free from judgment or bias. This intimate approach reveals a profound respect for what truly makes us human.
A person who does not fit conventional standards of beauty is no less worthy of our gaze. In fact, there is immense richness in the lived experience—in its triumphs and failures—that transcends mere physical allure. Through her unvarnished portrayal, Duty compels us to reconsider the weight we place on narrow beauty norms and to embrace the real “beauty in the eye of the beholder.”
Movements like Body Positivity remind us it is high time to reject these restrictive ideals. Sabine Duty’s art echoes that call.
Her upcoming exhibition, “The Way You Are,” opening December 2022, reaffirms our right to remain as we are—unique, unfiltered, and fully alive.
Helga Zumstein is a visual artist based in Brig-Glis, Valais, Switzerland.
Brief Biography & Artistic Journey
VITA
1969 | Born in Vienna
2011 | Guest semester at the Academy of Fine Arts, Vienna with Wolfgang Marx (Surface Support | Figurative Painting)
2019 | Guest semester with Veronika Dirnhofer (Drawing)
Since 2019 | Freelance visual artist (self-taught)
HELGA ZUMSTEIN | ON SABINE DUTY
The Way You Are
“Am I beautiful?” was the title of an exhibition by Austrian artist Sabine Duty, whose unvarnished truth and utterly unique painting technique never cease to astonish me. Unlike my oil paintings, her medium demands days or even weeks for each piece—testament not only to her talent but also her extraordinary patience.
Above all, Sabine Duty possesses courage: the bravery to depict what glossy magazines conceal. As girls, many of us learn to shame our bodies for diverging from a narrow ideal—yet that ideal excludes most of humanity. Duty’s figures are often unclothed not only in the sense of nudity but in their fearless exposure of every intimate detail.
She embraces unflattering perspectives to draw our gaze to perceived flaws or the hidden realities beneath clothing. Sometimes the external form even hints at life experience—drinking addiction, drug dependency, motherhood. Here is life in all its raw, unfiltered vibrancy, masterfully rendered by Duty.
That level of unflinching observation requires courage: courage toward the model, the audience, and oneself. As an artist, I admire her for shining a scientific light on the body, free from judgment or bias. This intimate approach reveals a profound respect for what truly makes us human.
A person who does not fit conventional standards of beauty is no less worthy of our gaze. In fact, there is immense richness in the lived experience—in its triumphs and failures—that transcends mere physical allure. Through her unvarnished portrayal, Duty compels us to reconsider the weight we place on narrow beauty norms and to embrace the real “beauty in the eye of the beholder.”
Movements like Body Positivity remind us it is high time to reject these restrictive ideals. Sabine Duty’s art echoes that call.
Her upcoming exhibition, “The Way You Are,” opening December 2022, reaffirms our right to remain as we are—unique, unfiltered, and fully alive.
Helga Zumstein is a visual artist based in Brig-Glis, Valais, Switzerland.
Further Works of This Artist
Our Mission and Actions
At THE ART HUB, our mission is initially focused on addressing a profound imbalance within the art world, specifically catering to women artists. In the current landscape, a mere 5% to 15% of artworks traded at auctions are created by women, starkly contrasted by the overwhelming 85% to 95% of works by male artists. This disparity is not only confined to auctions but is also prevalent in exhibitions, where male-created art significantly overshadows that of their female counterparts.
By concentrating our efforts on female artists, THE ART HUB aims to counteract this imbalance and champion women within the art community. This initiative is designed to amplify the visibility of women artists, making their creations more accessible to a wider audience, and ultimately striving for a more balanced representation of genders within art auctions and exhibitions. By prioritizing women in art, our platform boldly advocates for equality and diversity within the art sector, signaling a commitment to reshaping and enriching the cultural landscape.
Personal Statement & Vision and Goals
“Science is the intellect of the world, art its soul.”
— Maxim Gorky
At the heart of my practice is the human being. The interplay between the “norm zone” and the “comfort zone” underpins my exploration of themes such as role models, corporeality, health, ideals of beauty, sexuality, gender, and their representations. I also interrogate the nature of voyeurism in art.
This tension—norm versus comfort—manifests not only within my works but is projected onto the viewer, inviting them to question societal norms and discover their own comfort thresholds. I am drawn to the body as a vessel for the essential. Nudity, to me, symbolizes authenticity, completeness, and vulnerability.
Artistic creation is an ongoing process of inquiry. My practice allows me to observe my environment and fellow humans with heightened awareness. It is, at its core, a scientific endeavor that seeks holistic, interconnected understanding rather than judgment.
Neutrality of value, mindfulness, and reflection are central to my work. I see myself as part of the investigative process, intimately connected to the unfolding creative act. This approach preserves the mysteries of life: throughout the process of making, I experience valleys and peaks in harmonious union. Every encounter, every moment in creation, contributes meaningfully to the whole.
Based in Vienna, I have been drawing and painting since childhood. For me, art is a fusion of craft and love—a convergence of talent and practice, devotion and discipline.
COLLECTIONS | GALLERIES
Nicholas Treadwell Gallery
Red Carpet Art Award
AWARDS / FUNDING
2020 | We Fund Your Art
2020 | Anne Goldenberg Women’s Art Grant
2018 | EGA Art Award, Special Prize
