The Magician 2020

Zoe Hawk’s painting ‘The Magician’ uses oil paint to bring to life a magical scene. The painting is built up with thin layers of color, creating an almost eerie but totally inviting atmosphere. I wonder what Hawk was thinking while creating this magician. There’s this tension between stagecraft and ritual, the slight of hand that fools the eye, and the summoning of powerful forces. I imagine her considering the performance of femininity and a desire to have agency. The magician's hand gestures with the wand feel so precise, and yet there's something so unsettling about the composition, it makes me question everything. Looking at this painting makes me think about Hilma af Klint's occult symbolism. Perhaps the magician is not just performing but channeling something deeper. It reminds us that painting is a form of alchemy—a mysterious process through which colors and gestures can conjure meaning. The history of painting is an ongoing conversation, and each artist adds their own unique voice to the mix.