runaway daughters 2015

"Runaway Daughters" by Jana Brike, painted sometime after 1980, presents us with three young girls in a liminal space, wading through water under a sky heavy with clouds. Brike's work often explores the complexities of girlhood and feminine identity. These girls, with their matching dresses and determined strides, evoke a sense of shared experience and perhaps a rebellion against societal expectations. One holds a pink heart-shaped purse, a symbol of innocence and expectation, while another holds a burning cigarette suggesting something else entirely. The title, "runaway daughters," implies a narrative of escape or defiance. The water they wade through could represent a transition, a leaving behind of innocence, childhood or perhaps even oppressive norms. Brike has mentioned her interest in exploring the "fragility and strength" of women. In this context, "Runaway Daughters" becomes a poignant reflection on the journey of self-discovery, and the emotional landscape of young women navigating a world filled with both promise and constraint.