King of Pentacles 2020

Zoe Hawk made this painting, King of Pentacles, with thin layers of oil paint. I can see her, working and reworking the surface, letting the figure slowly materialize. It's a little bit funny, don't you think? I imagine Hawk thinking about identity and performance, as she made it. The young woman, in her blue skirt, stands between the stage curtains, wearing a gold paper crown and fake moustache. What I think is especially clever about the painting, is the Pentacle on the flag. The Pentacle is an ancient symbol, and it usually appears the other way up. This version implies a kind of subversion of traditions, as the King figure is actually a young woman dressed up in playful, and somewhat melancholic, costume. She is in control! Like other painters, Hawk is in an ongoing conversation, exchanging ideas across time, inspiring creativity and multiple interpretations and meanings. I'm inspired!