Cynthia Hawkins most recent show at Paula Cooper Gallery, Maps Necessary for a Walk in 4D is aptly named as the paintings function as maps that register time as well as form, flat shape, and line.
Maps generally have the latter two attributes, sometimes three dimensional form, but time is the tricky one to represent. Hawkins paintings map time through their indexing of their own construction. When you look at a Cynthia Hawkins painting you do not wonder how it was made, the paintings themselves explain they came into existence. You can track each of Hawkins' decisions.
Hawkins uses layering, transparencies, and grids that imply perspective to create depth without relying on representation. The grids, as well as the title of the show, give the feeling that these are maps – but in their spacial disagreement they impart a dizzying vertigo like quality onto the paintings.
The viewer can see objects in the space of the paintings yet can’t understand or agree on what they are. The forms are varied, geometric, organic, and gestural shapes are all included without it feeling overly busy – they walk the thin line between activated business and overwhelmed crowd.
Hawkins has an acute understanding of color and subtlety, the choice to use high saturation and chroma is intentional and skillful. I am particularly fond of the relationship she creates between the recurrent lavender in her works and the variety of yellows it always seems to sit near as well as her use of orange red next to deep rich blues. She is to be able to balance the decidedly off kilter compositions of her paintings with a few key color choices.
This review deepens my understanding of Cynthia Hawkins and her layering techniques. Even from the included photo, I can feel the "dizzying vertigo" you describe. Her formal decisions seem both highly intentional and open to allowing the paint to act on its own terms. I especially appreciate the observation that the paintings reveal how they’re made—the artist’s hand and process are embedded in the work, which feels particularly true of this kind of abstraction. Alongside the ideas of maps and time, it makes me wonder whether Hawkins is working from a purely formalist lens or if there's also an emotional or spiritual dimension guiding the process.
ReplyDeleteThere’s a clear appreciation for how her paintings unfold over time. The writing makes a strong case for the idea of mapping as both spatial and temporal, which feels true to her work. That said, I think the review could push a bit further—it describes what the paintings do but stops short of interpreting what that experience means for the viewer. There’s room for a bit more reflection on how the disorientation or formal play actually resonates beyond just being well-executed.
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