Queen of Cups 2020

Zoe Hawk made this tarot card inspired painting, "Queen of Cups," with oils on panel. When I look at her work I think about how she builds these narratives using figures. I wonder what was going through Hawk's head as she was making this piece? The light yellow ochre of the queen's dress and the white of the roses and the flag’s background contrast with the soft blue backdrop, creating a surreal and dreamlike quality, and a symbolic space. It feels like the subject is emerging from a memory. The brushstrokes are smooth and almost imperceptible, giving the painting a polished, finished feel. This makes me think of other painters like Balthus, who used similar techniques to create a sense of distance and remove, but here Hawk’s personal touch offers something more intimate. We are invited to bring our own readings to the work, and to imagine an ongoing conversation between artists across time.