12 Steps Within – Pop Art Triptych (2025) Painting by Vincent Vee

12 Steps Within – Pop Art Triptych Contemporary Painting by Vincent Vee
Acrylic on Canvas 300x122 cm (Triptych 122x90 cm + 2x 100x100 cm)

12 steps... Twelve is a mystical number, deeply rooted in human psyche and culture. Twelve apostles, twelve stars around Mary's head, twelve months of the year, twelve zodiac signs, twelve stars on the flag of the European Union, and twelve steps to sobriety. It is a number of completeness, the end of a cycle, and a new beginning. Each step in this journey is a challenge and a discovery. It is an attempt to overcome one's limitations, conquer inner demons, and search for the true self.



Symbolic for me is also the fact that this painting was created over the course of 12 months, with each detail of the artwork carefully thought out and full of meaning. Dynamic, chaotic, and only visible upon closer inspection, the golden vines and flowers on the blue background symbolize the inner tangle of thoughts and emotions accompanying self-discovery. Magical and religious symbols – cat, fortune-telling hand, snake, moon, key, golden eye – who does not recognize these mysterious elements from religions, magic, pagan (and not only) beliefs. Who has not clung to them, seeking a direction to delve into themselves or escape from the tangle of their own self.



"12 Steps Within" is a painting about suffering, prayer, and attempts at self-liberation. It tells the story of the suffering accompanying this journey, the influence of the environment, the people around us, and internal demons. It is also a reflection on human nature, balancing on the edge of sanctity and sin. The painting combines classical religious aesthetics with modern expression, creating a unique work that prompts reflection.



"12 Steps Within" is a triptych created using acrylic technique, finished with gold leaf and oil pastels, transporting us to the world of Gothic or Renaissance altars, evoking associations with the works of great masters of Italian sacred painting.

The color palette of the figures is warm, with oranges, yellows, and skin tones, while the background is blue, multidimensional, intertwined with dynamic drawings of golden vines, flowers, and small magical symbols. The bottom of the painting is in ochre colors, also intertwined with black vines and black flowers. A wide, textured strip of gold runs through the middle of all three s.



Central 122x90 cm:

In the center of the painting is a figure of a half-naked woman with long, reddish hair shining in the glow of a golden nimbus. Her hands are clasped in prayer, and the expression on her face is full of prayerful exaltation and spiritual inspiration. However, this contrasts with her bold appearance – black stockings and long, semi-transparent gloves, tattoos on her arms (roses, snake, crown of thorns around her neck) give her figure a controversial character. The woman seems to balance on the edge of sanctity and sin, symbolizing the inner struggle of every person.

Above the figure, following the pattern of angels from Eastern icons, deformed male figures hang down. Their presence above the central figure refers to temptation and inner demons.



Side s 2x 100x100 cm:

On the side s, the same male figures appear in various dramatic poses. The extreme parts of the side s are again occupied by the figures of the same woman featured in the central . The crowns on their heads, woven from sticks, evoke associations with the crown of thorns of Christ and the crowns of Valkyries worn during pagan rituals. The figure on the left , surprised and lost, seems to look at the central figure with disbelief. The figure on the right , painted with more aggressive, less precise brushstrokes, full of pain and despair, expresses a dramatic inner struggle.

Related themes

Sacred Art