The Grand Howl 2017

Zoe Hawk conjures an air of disquiet in 'The Grand Howl' with her masterful handling of color. The candy-pink dresses, set against the dusk sky, feel synthetic, a visual trick that hints at something unsettling beneath the surface. It's as if the painting is slowly revealing a secret. The surface of 'The Grand Howl' is smooth and dreamlike. Look closely at the fire—each flickering flame, rendered with delicate precision, casts a glow on the figures and the stones around it. Note the almost hypnotic repetition of forms, the way the girls are posed, echo one another. These gestures, rendered with a careful hand, create a sense of ritual and repetition. I'm reminded of Paula Rego, who also explores the hidden darkness within seemingly innocent scenes, but here, Hawk brings a distinctly contemporary and unnerving perspective to the tradition. Hawk seems to ask, can art be a mirror reflecting our own buried anxieties?