zoe beaudry at playground detroit
And And And And
“And And And And is a painting and light exhibition by Zoe Beaudry of photorealistic figurative paintings containing sculptural elements which emit colored light, inspired by the metaphysical and digital aspects of the contemporary human experience. The use and repetition of the word “and” are symbolic in the exhibition title. For Zoe, “And” is a metaphor for the connective forces that we rely on but don’t often notice, like gravity, the internet, divine forces, or universal human experiences. What if we brought the connection itself into focus, rather than the things being connected?”
“And” is magical because it can unite any two things just by sitting between them. We rarely focus on or even notice the word itself – yet its omnipresence holds everything together. Narratives wouldn’t make any sense without it. Music needs the “and” pulling the one and two and three and four together.” –Zoe Beaudry
“Rejecting the male-dominated history of the classical nude and passive subject, the subjects in my paintings are agents of their own self-actualization. I see this as an important shift for figurative art and traditional oil painting and view the act of breaking the surface of the canvas as a part of this rejection as well,” explains Beaudry.
Technical proficiency impresses then morphs into wonder at a fresh take on the traditional nude. This gentle figure protects his heart center, identified by the green ellipse representing the Anahata chakra. The subject’s gaze and composition direct toward the bottom of the canvas contributing to its tender impression.
A point of blue light at the eyebrow center is the origin of the figure’s aura which surrounds her head as an indigo halo. This model drew her hands to a protective position naturally without prompt illustrating the innate response to recoil from exposure. In complete contrast, her stare is fixed and unwavering.
Although this figure is white and female, the pose is not archetypal. The tiny cutout heart at the throat, a point of communication and truth, is a seed to be projected rather than contained. Painted on white backgrounds and installed on white walls allow these images to occupy space beyond the limits of each canvas.
This figure is completely contained by his energy field. The pose is universally recognizable as a place of safety and comfort. A clean, white light emanates from the top of the head representing Sahasrara chakra or the higher mind. It contains all the colors of the rainbow as in a prism which circulate around this figure on a spiritual loop.
This painting is discussed in greater detail in a recorded interview with the artist for paid subscribers. Upgrade to paid to access this micro artist talk and all previous talks.
Relying on the universally human connective tissue of kindness, love and compassion, Beaudry realigns beauty ideals in an evolving, more inclusive, society. She offers embracing vulnerability as a bridge to expand spiritually, strengthening humanity’s unification resulting in a more peaceful existence.
“We are living in a moment of incredible grief, danger, and potential- the ability to see ourselves reflected in others is essential for authentic interdependence.” –Zoe Beaudry
On view through April 29th at Playground Detroit 2845 Gratiot Detroit
*images courtesy of Playground Detroit
direct quote from gallery materials
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