Although recognisable, the figures present in Sonya Derviz’s works are mined from the subconscious. The ‘Wise young girl’ series continues the artist’s investigations into unspoken behaviours and the human psyche. Often begin- ning with a careful collection of source material, many of her ideas go through a process of change due to the phys- ical act of painting. In this vein, her paintings that evoke notions of isolation and abandonment are worked and reworked; their final appearance subliminally connecting images with sensations and memories.