Ina van Zyl’s work delves into the themes isolation, claustrophobia, shame, and the complexities of human nature—often exploring eroticism and sexuality. Her paintings, executed in oil paint, present objects and figures in stark isolation, emphasizing their fragility but also their strength. The absence of action in her compositions contrasts with an undercurrent of emotional turbulence—memories, desires, and sorrow—all conveyed through saturated surfaces and meticulously defined shapes. Van Zyl’s work suggests both life and decay, capturing a sense of beauty that is ephemeral, much like the fleeting nature of human existence itself.

Born in Ceres, South Africa, Ina van Zyl studied art at the University of Stellenbosch, where she completed a BA degree in Fine Arts, majoring in Drawing. She moved to Amsterdam in 1995 for a residency at the Thami Mnyele Foundation, and later participated in the De Ateliers postgraduate program from 1996 to 1998. Since then, van Zyl has made the Netherlands her home. Her work has been exhibited internationally, and she has received several prestigious awards, with her pieces held in major collections, including the Stedelijk Museum and the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. Three monographs on her work have been published, further solidifying her place in the contemporary art world.