Reception Thursday Jul 09 at 6.00pm
This will be a public opening with social distancing
Kevin Kavanagh is pleased to present Queen of the Dusk, an exhibition of new work by Gemma Browne.
Queen of the dusk is a show of quite, small paintings on canvas which are busy with many painted elements. These works contain some autobiographical features, but are also universal with feminist themes as they relate to female strengths and domestic settings. The houses in some of the works represent the home and the domestic arena, touching on the often unseen, thankless work done by women behind the scenes.
They could also be palaces or domains, as the female often reigns there and runs the show. The subjects or queens in the work are dressed in ornate, olden time dresses and fabrics, drapes and bows feature a lot, hinting at outward presentation or facade. There is a theatrical or staged aspect to Browne`s pieces and she is interested in the public face or performance that people can project. Her paintings nod back to older times with the subjects being channeled through antique, porcelain dolls and doll houses with the staging and colours viewed through a contemporary feminist perspective.
This blend of old and new give the works a sort of timeless quality. The beauty of flowers and hints of gardens create a disquietude when contrasted with the female, queenly characters staring directly at the viewer from centre stage. The dusk of the title refers to the last of the light but in a way of hope for positive changes. Her work is based on images from old books, antiques, charity shop windows and random photos taken by her while out and about and on her travels.
