Five Cosmopolitans, Please!, 2026

Kristina Mallen  

With this elegant work, I wanted to capture a moment of pure enjoyment — an atmosphere of femininity, freedom, and effortless glamour. The canvas brings together five women seated at a bar, perhaps somewhere in New York. Each holds a Cosmopolitan, while delicate traces of wine-colored lipstick linger on the rims of crystal glasses, adding a subtle sense of intimacy and sensuality to the scene.

I intentionally placed the emphasis on the female silhouettes: long, graceful legs, elegant feet in high heels, and sophisticated dresses inspired by the distinctive style of the 1990s. Their faces are deliberately left intriguingly unfinished, allowing the women to exist beyond individual identities — as archetypal images of femininity, confidence, and allure. The viewer's attention is naturally drawn to their deep wine-colored lips, graceful body lines, and expressive silhouettes.

The light, graphic composition, rich ruby-red accents, and striking contrasts evoke the polished atmosphere of a fashion editorial, while blending Art Deco elegance with the bold visual language of Pop Art. The work is ultimately a celebration of feminine energy, beauty, and the pleasure of simply being oneself — a fleeting moment filled with style, cocktails, red lips, and an unmistakable sense of freedom.