Roxana Halls is a British figurative painter known for her psychologically charged portraits that explore identity, gender, performance and the shifting social roles of women. Her work reflects her longstanding fascination with theatre and the performative body, a passion rooted in her childhood ambition to become an actress. This sense of drama is central to her painting style, which often stages figures in moments of tension, mischief or defiance.
Her works are noted for their dark glamour, humour and subversive
approach to female representation.
Halls gained recognition through repeated exhibitions at the BP Portrait Award, the National Portrait Gallery and the Royal Society of Portrait Painters, and she has since built an international presence. Her portraits have been commissioned by major institutions, including the National Galleries of Scotland and BBC Arts. She has also been commissioned by Disney Studios, who acquired her work for the production of the film Haunted Mansion. Her solo exhibitions have appeared at Haus Kunst Mitte in Berlin, Colley Ison Gallery in Birmingham and multiple London venues, while her group exhibitions span London, Europe and the United States.
Across her practice Halls challenges imposed expectations placed on women and uses wit, theatricality and expressive composition to reveal the complexity of self‑ presentation. Critics describe her paintings as offering a response to self censorship and a celebration of unruly or unapologetic femininity. Alongside her studio work she has also contributed to curatorial projects with the InFems Art Collective, supporting feminist dialogues in contemporary art. Halls creates artworks that balance emotional insight with bold visual vitality.
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FAUX FUR (Unknown Women), 2025 Sold -
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