Whitehot Magazine

Through the Mirror: Samara Couri Paints Identity, Connection, and Reflection

Hawaii Looking Through, Oil on Mirror, 12x12x12 in

 

By JONATHAN BERGSTRÖM January 22, 2025

Samara Couri is an artist whose figurative paintings re
veal the hidden threads that bind humanity together. Couri’s work focuses on the human body, desire, and movement, creating a space with her psychological (and literal) “hall of mirrors,” where viewers can connect with the artwork and see themselves in it.


Originally from London, Couri has traveled and worked in many different cultural settings. She graduated from the City & Guilds of London Art School and has exhibited her work in major cities like London, New York, and Los Angeles. Now, living in Honolulu, Hawaii, the island has had a huge impact on her latest work. “After spending seven years in LA, I took a trip to Hawaii for a week, and it completely blew me away,” she recalls. ”I realized that for my personal growth and artistic development, it was the right place for me. The culture, the history, the spiritual connection, it all resonated with me deeply.” Couri has also been learning the Hawaiian language, traditional dances, and chants. "I want to fully respect the culture and understand the island’s history, especially the challenges its people have faced,” she explains.



You See Me III, Oil on Mirror, 65 cm x 15cm

Couri’s use of mirrors as a medium began as an exploration of depth and perception. “A few years ago, I started out painting on traditional canvases or wood panels. I still love that, but I’ve always been drawn to film and how it shows depth, movement, and emotion. I started thinking about how I could bring some of that dimension into painting,” she explains. 

In her mirror paintings, Couri reflects and distorts the human form, creating parallel worlds that interact with one another. As viewers move around the work, their own reflections shift and change, altering the piece’s composition and inviting a constant re-engagement with the artwork. “The mirrors just clicked for me. I painted on mirrors, added more mirrors, and it started to evolve from there. It allows the viewer to move around the piece and see different perspectives, which creates this interactive experience. They become more connected to the artwork because they’re part of it, they can see themselves in it.”


This approach to reflection—both literal and figurative—opens up new dimensions in Couri’s exploration of humanity. It has also created a strong emotional response in viewers. “It’s almost like a psychological experience. People start to see things in the painting that they might have been afraid to see in themselves. The self-reflection aspect is powerful. And what’s amazing is that people often open up to me about very personal things after viewing my work. It’s unexpected, but it’s become a platform for people to connect with their emotions,” she says.


Wheel of Reflections, Oil on Mirror, Diameter 18 in

In selecting models, Couri looks for emotional depth as much as physical appearance. “For me, it’s more about the feeling I get from them, how their facial expressions speak to me. I’m drawn to that. I want the painting to represent the idea of inclusion, so I make sure there’s a diversity of people in my work. It’s important to me that everyone feels seen, no matter their gender or race. Art is about connection, and the viewers need to feel a sense of belonging in the work.”

When discussing her process of creating these mirror paintings, Couri points out how much the surrounding environment influences her work. “I always connect my work to reality. When I’m painting, I’m thinking about what’s happening in that moment, or the history of a place. The environment always affects the piece, and what’s going on in the world around me at the time. It’s not an abstract fantasy for me, but rather a reflection of something real, something tangible. Once I start painting, an energy is created, and then it’s left for the viewer to interpret. But the foundation is always reality, even though it evolves into something else as the work progresses,” she explains.


As she moves forward, Couri is excited to continue her exploration of culture, identity, and spirituality in her art. She is currently in the early stages of a new series focused on Hawaiian deities, working with Hawaiian cultural practitioners
to ensure that the representation of their stories is both respectful and authentic. “I feel like I’m back in school, and I love it,” she says of her ongoing research. “There’s so much to learn, and I’m really excited to see where it takes me.” WM

To learn more about Samara Couri, visit her
website or follow her on Instagram @samaracouri.


 

Jonathan Bergström

Originally from Sweden, Jonathan Bergström is a journalist and freelance copywriter now based in Los Angeles, where he relocated in 2020. He graduated in 2018 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism from Södertörn University in Stockholm. With a strong passion for culture, Jonathan has written extensively on film, music, theater, literature, and art for various publications such as Le Mile Magazine, Whitehot Magazine, Contemporary Art Issue, and Dagens Nyheter, the largest daily newspaper in Sweden.

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