Pool Party 2022

Zoe Hawk’s "Pool Party" is a painting, I imagine in acrylic, about a group of girls in and around a swimming pool, sometime in the 20th century. The color palette is pretty limited, mostly muted blues and pinks. The whole scene has a slightly surreal, doll-like feeling to it. I feel that the artist is trying to channel something about the inner lives of these adolescent girls, perhaps reflecting on the artist's own experiences growing up. I can imagine Zoe Hawk working on this, layering the paint to create a smooth, almost seamless surface. The scene is both intimate and a bit unsettling, reminding me of other contemporary painters who explore themes of adolescence, like Sanya Kantarovsky. Ultimately, these artists are in conversation with one another, each offering their own unique perspective. Painting allows artists to embrace ambiguity, to create something that invites multiple readings and interpretations.