I've met figures like these, been in homes like these, and felt how these people have felt. House Fire is special because of its domesticity and honesty. Home is a place where the most real versions of yourself can be the only version– it’s a place to struggle with identity, religion, or any other internal issue. The four artists exhibiting in House Fire offer unique meditations on identity, personal space, and our relationship to domestic life.

Abigail Jackson treats her canvases like snapshots in time. Her paintings are freezeframes of ordinary activities like getting a haircut or painting your nails. These moments seem mundane, but Jackson's art aims to highlight the intimacy of such situations. One of my favorite paintings from her collection is titled Metro. The figures in the piece seem to melt into one another. The tantalizing red of the table casts shadows on the two figures intertwined. I like this piece because of its ambiguity. Are these people lovers? Friends? Strangers who just met?

Emma Schwartz's works are an inspection of religious and non-religious life. Along with that comes moral questions regarding purity and virtue. Her artist statement describes her work as relating to art history and bodily autonomy. Schwartz’s work is reminiscent of how artists like Gustav Klimt depicted feminine bodies. Simple things such as a woman putting on a bra, moving her hair from under the straps, and peering into the eyes of the observer offer a strange power. Schwartz can paint a nearly nude torso in a way that evokes closeness rather than voyeurism. Untitled (Back) is a dainty snapshot of lacy lingerie and skin, but it reads more delicate than dirty, a testament to Schwartz’s commentary through her art.

Jessica Rothenburger, *Red and Blue Kitchen*

Jessica Rothenburger paints these tiny interiors to feel a sense of control. These colorful spaces serve as Jessica’s escape from the real world. Many people can relate to the desire for escapism, especially after the last five years. These paintings remind me of one very famous room painted by Vincent Van Gogh. Bedroom in Arles or The Bedroom reminds me most of Rothenburger's Red and Blue Kitchen. Both Van Gogh and Rothenburger have painted rooms that felt safe and familiar to them with a sense of newness.

Wynter Rhoads, *Sistine Madonna; A Gift from Him*

Sexuality, poverty, and religion are the three focuses of Wynter Rhoads’ pieces. Grotesque twists on antique motifs are a signature of Rhoads’ work – like a clown with lipstick smeared across their teeth, or dainty lamb vases filled with rotting flowers. These works act as juxtapositions between old and new, fresh and rotten, delicate and dark. One painting in particular, A Brief Moment of Rest for the Starry Knight combines renaissance elements with a contemporary spin. Another of Rhoads' pieces, Sistine Madonna; A Gift from Him is laced with religious influence. Taking continual inspiration from the 15th and 16th centuries, this piece offers the reminder “Memento mori” or “remember you must die.” It is interesting to note that this sentiment was mainly sourced from elite, upper-class citizens of the time. Perhaps the parental figures in the painting echo that thought. Regardless, Memento Mori is a philosophy that influenced renaissance artists during a time of change – a time similar to our own.

House Fire will be on display in the Hank & Dolly’s for the month of July. Browse this show in-person or on our online gallery.