Glimmer 2020

Zoe Hawk made 'Glimmer' sometime in the 20th century, with colours that look like they’ve been mixed to capture a kind of half-remembered dream. The act of painting, I imagine, was a bit like stirring moonlight into water. I think of Zoe Hawk in her studio, trying to capture that fleeting moment when light and water meet. It's like she's asking: what does it feel like to be suspended between the dark depths and the shimmering surface? The paint isn't fighting to be seen, but it’s happy to sit back, reflect, and let the colors do their thing. Look at the way the figures’ white dresses contrast with the dark water. Those strokes of white paint aren’t just fabric; they’re little signals, catching the light and pulling our eyes into the scene. It's as if the artist is saying, "Hey, look over here, something special is happening." The painting echoes the dreamlike qualities of artists like Paula Rego or even some of the early Symbolists. I love how artists are always building on each other’s work like this. Painting is an ongoing conversation, isn't it? It embraces those in-between states, offering us space to mull things over.