In 2022, then-27-year-old Anna Weyant shook the art world when one of her paintings sold at auction for $1.6 million. She became the youngest artist to be represented by the Gagosian Gallery network.
Anna’s paintings, with their dark undertones and emphasized glossiness of figurative splendor, primarily depict everyday scenes from the lives of young women navigating the joys and challenges of their age. The artist tells stories of daily life through these smiling, curious, yet sensual and enigmatic girls. Her characters exude an ambiguous energy—a subtle aura hinting at a horizon beyond what meets the eye. Read more about the life and creative journey of this artist who took the art world by storm in just a few months on icalgary.
Artistic Education
Anna was born in Calgary in 1995 to a lawyer and a provincial court judge. She earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in painting from the Rhode Island School of Design (USA). After graduating, she placed third in a Canadian art competition. She then pursued painting studies at the China Academy of Art in Hangzhou. Anna graduated in 2017 and later admitted in an interview that Hangzhou’s muted tones influenced her signature subdued palette.
Early Career
In 2018, Anna began working as an assistant in the New York studio of artist Cynthia Talmadge while simultaneously developing her own practice. Cynthia introduced Anna to art dealer Ellie Rines, owner of the New York gallery 56 Henry. Ellie immediately recognized Anna’s potential and helped sell her first paintings in the summer of 2019.
Anna displayed her work on the sidewalk at an art fair in Hampton, selling each painting for $400. Later, she held several solo exhibitions. One of her early shows featured a series of moody, cinematic paintings depicting a dollhouse modeled after Anna’s childhood dollhouse. Each piece in this exhibit sold for between $2,000 and $12,000.
Subsequently, Anna presented a series on American suburbs, portraying them as surreal realms hiding numerous catastrophes and incidents of violence. Her popularity grew rapidly, aided by Instagram, where prominent critics shared her work with larger audiences.
Relationship with Gagosian Sparks Gossip
As Anna’s fame skyrocketed, her work caught the attention of American art dealer and Gagosian Gallery founder Larry Gagosian. He purchased her painting Head and, by spring 2021, Anna was represented by Los Angeles-based gallery Blum & Poe. At the time, some of her paintings sold for nearly $50,000. However, a falling out with gallery director Tim Blum ended their collaboration.
Shortly afterward, Anna and Gagosian were spotted together in Paris and Saint-Tropez. Though Anna mingled with the art world elite, she continued to live modestly in a one-bedroom New York apartment.
Rumors swirled about a personal relationship between the 27-year-old artist and the 76-year-old dealer. Critics accused Anna of unfair success, claiming her meteoric rise and record auction results stemmed more from Gagosian’s favoritism than her talent or ambition. Many pointed out that numerous artists spend their entire lives in obscurity before selling even one piece, and that showcasing art in a New York gallery typically requires a combination of skill, charisma, and the right connections.
However, some gallery owners and artists defended Anna, denouncing the criticisms as misogynistic and sexist.
The Iconic Falling Woman
Anna’s piece Falling Woman catapulted her to widespread fame when it was auctioned by Sotheby’s in New York in May 2022. As soon as the clock struck 6:00, bids began pouring in, starting at $300,000 and quickly escalating to $500,000. Collectors clamored to secure the piece for their mysterious clients. Ultimately, the painting sold for over $1.6 million—eight times its high estimate—a record for the artist.
The painting depicts a moment of falling, one of the most personal moments for the artist. It evokes fear, overwhelming all else, leaving no room for pretense. Anna portrays a modern interpretation of myth, adapted to the psychological complexities of the 21st century.
The sale came just days after her painting Summertime sold for $1.5 million at Christie’s. Anna was subsequently featured in Forbes’ “30 Under 30” lists for both 2022 and 2023.
Artistic Style
Weyant’s work is characterized by a dark, muted palette featuring deep greens, dusty pinks, and inky blacks. Her art reflects a blend of historical and innovative influences, from 17th-century Dutch masters like Frans Hals and Judith Leyster to contemporary artists such as Ellen Berkenblit. Her figurative paintings combine the Golden Age of Dutch painting with modern pop culture.
Anna’s depictions of women carry a grotesque sensibility, emphasizing voluptuous bodies and distorted facial expressions. Her quasi-surrealist figures focus on female psychology, offering a dreamy understanding of how popular culture and societal norms create and distort gestures, rituals, and symbols of femininity.
Some of her works feature dual figures, evoking a sense of oddity as one half grimaces while the other smiles. These duplicates, depicted in loose clothing, emphasize the fluidity of femininity and the female form. The artist leaves it to the viewer to decide whether the figures are twins or the same person captured at different moments.
In each of her paintings, Anna tells a brief story, fantasy, or autobiographical memory. She explores the complex psychology of youth, particularly adolescence, addressing themes often considered too personal or taboo. In doing so, she connects intimately with viewers.
Still Life as a Core Theme
Still life plays a significant role in Anna’s work. Her still lifes feature fruits, flowers, and other objects depicted in an ambiguous light. For instance, in Drawing for Lily, Anna juxtaposes an elegant vase with a revolver tied with a golden ribbon, striking a balance between whimsy and unease.
It Must Have Been Love portrays a domestic scene, highlighting the intimacy of Anna’s creative process. The dining table becomes a setting for wilting and blooming flowers.
Anna’s precisely rendered figures often become the protagonists of tragicomic narratives, while everyday objects take on eerie, menacing qualities. In both cases, the artist uses sharp, ironic wit to evoke countless contradictions—and she does so brilliantly.