Anh Duong has always loved to draw and paint, and did so as a child in Bordeaux, France. She trained as a ballet dancer, another form of nonverbal expression, and in the mid 80s modeled couture on international runways and in glossy magazines. In 1988, Duong moved to New York City, where she began painting still lifes and portraits. But predominantly she painted self-portraits. Duong uses a true mirror—a reflection of a reflection—to see her face exactly. She does not sketch, but relies on the energy of the brushstroke to carry the image. She relishes rawness, and on canvas she can be found in torn jeans or lace underwear or nothing at all. Her investigation into the self is full of mystery—narratives unexplained, emotion stirring. This is her first solo show in Zurich. —L.J.