Squeak Carnwath: A Painter's Journey Beyond Boundaries
In the world of art, there's an ongoing debate about the limits of traditional mediums. Squeak Carnwath, a remarkable artist, dares to challenge this notion, proving that paint, despite its age-old legacy, is far from exhausted.
I had the privilege of interviewing Carnwath back in 2006, and her words still resonate: "Painting can be anything; it's limitless." This belief has driven her to create an expansive body of work, defying the idea that paint is incapable of innovation.
Yet, Carnwath's journey as an artist has been somewhat overlooked in the bustling art scene of New York City. Neither the prestigious Whitney Museum nor the MoMA boasts a single piece by this talented painter, now in her late 70s. One can't help but question if this neglect is due to her unwavering dedication to oil painting, a technique rooted in Renaissance traditions, or perhaps her distance from the Bay Area's figurative and Funk movements, despite her long-standing presence there.
Artists like Carnwath, who forge their own paths, often face an uphill battle for recognition. Unless their work aligns with a curator's political agenda or fits into the mold of 'acceptable' abstraction, they remain on the periphery. This is a fate shared by Joanne Greenbaum, a New York painter with a contrasting temperament to Carnwath, who also remains absent from these esteemed collections.
Carnwath's latest exhibition, "Goddess of All," currently on display at the Jane Lombard Gallery, showcases 11 square paintings, each a testament to her unique style. Ranging in size from 36x36 inches to 77x77 inches, these works are a delightful blend of oil and alkyd on canvas, with titles discreetly written on the sides.
Her artistic vocabulary is rich and ever-evolving, filled with meaningful motifs that recur throughout her oeuvre. From an LP record with a red label, symbolizing the singular journey of life, to a sinking ship conveying an inescapable disaster, Carnwath's symbols are powerful and thought-provoking.
In "Goddess of All," Carnwath introduces a new motif: three black silhouettes—Edgar Degas' "The Little Fourteen-Year-Old Dancer," the Statue of Liberty, and a crowned figure seated on a throne. Each silhouette represents an idealized aspect of womanhood, from the aspiring dancer to the powerful ruler.
One of the standout pieces, "Ancestors and Future Ghosts" (2023), is a vertical composition divided into two sections. On the left, a third of the canvas is dedicated to the three silhouettes, writing, and the outline of an unknown female figure, all set against a poached salmon-colored background. The right side, taking up two-thirds of the canvas, features large, multi-petaled flowers, emphasizing the painting's flat surface as a repository for a unique blend of graffiti, images, fragments, and tribal language.
"Ancient Fragments" (2025) is a bustling composition filled with red outlines of Roman busts, goddesses, insects, and flowers. The most striking element is the motif of two genderless faces passionately kissing, with two disembodied eyes gazing down at the word "insight."
As we ponder these intriguing paintings, we might ask: What message does Carnwath convey? In "Our Own" (2022), she writes "Our bodies are our own" above a scribbled phrase, "a sovereign territory." On the opposite side of the canvas, we read, "We are the sovereign rulers of our own bodies." Is Carnwath making a statement about personal autonomy and the changing world?
Carnwath's work reflects her recognition of a world in flux. The sinking ship in "Our Own" symbolizes a world spiraling out of control, yet she finds moments of order and stability within this chaos. Her commitment to paint and painting is a deep paradox, a testament to her resilience and artistic vision.
"Goddess of All" is a must-see exhibition, on display at the Jane Lombard Gallery until February 28th. It's an opportunity to appreciate the work of an artist who has carved her own path, unbound by conventional expectations.
