When talking to Anja, her concern about the danger of a resurgence of masculinism in the West is palpable. For her, creation is an act of resistance:

« I don’t know how to avert this danger other than by painting. If you look at major art fairs such as Art Basel, female artists remain under-represented. And when they are represented, the media often rush to point out that they are the student of so-and-so, the partner or daughter of someone else. They always seem to need a protector. We rarely hear about an artist who has forged her career on her own, perhaps working as a waitress in a Gasthaus to finance her art. » – Anja Dallenbach

For Anja, painting “women” is a complex task that goes far beyond simple morphological study. It is not a gendered function, but a profound identity and a worldview distinct from that of men.

Whereas the traditional male perspective sometimes tends towards abstract justice, universal rules or radical autonomy, Anja’s approach is rooted in relationships and responsibility towards others. In her works, the world is not a collection of isolated individuals, but a network of precious connections that must be maintained.

In Anja’s view, womanhood is not a fixed “essence”. It is a way of existing that prioritises embodiment — the inseparable link between body and mind — over a perception of reality that is sometimes more technical or disembodied.