Story Time

This carefully curated show brings together a dynamic blend of voices and stylistic approaches, each contributing to a broader narrative on identity, myth-making, and the essence of femininity.

Through their works, the artists invite audiences on a journey that traverses realms of fantasy, reality, memory, and the collective experience. L. Song Wu’s evocative paintings explore the tension between intimacy and alienation, drawing inspiration from anime, YouTube thumbnails, and memory to create intricately crafted worlds. Her work refracts ideas of place and self in today's dizzying contemporary landscape, encouraging viewers to question their own sense of belonging and identity. Exhibited internationally in cities such as New York, Paris, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, Wu has garnered recognition as a finalist for the AXA Art Prize and the Tournesol Award.

Zoe Hawk’s paintings delve into the experience of girlhood, examining themes of adolescent anxiety, feminine identity, social rituals, and belonging. Her characters, caught between childhood and adulthood, navigate landscapes that oscillate between the wild and the institutional, reflecting the tension between individual expression and societal expectations.

Genevieve Cohn envisions possible communities of women, drawing from both historical and imaginative realms that span the past, present, and future. Her paintings explore themes of female empowerment, collaboration, and self-determined agency, referencing the Women’s Land Army, female separatist communities, and elements from fairy tales and literature. Through ritual and adornment, Cohn’s figures construct environments that speak to resilience, creativity, and solidarity.

Melody Tuttle’s work harnesses the narrative power of visual art to express the complexities of the female experience. With solitary female figures, symbolic animals, and vanitas-inspired elements rendered in visceral hues, her paintings explore transience, self-reliance, and the emotional spectrum between solitude and connection.

The exhibition presents a series of interconnected stories, each piece resonating with deep emotional truths and prompting reflective introspection. By embracing both personal and shared narratives, Story Time underscores the powerful role that storytelling plays in shaping our understanding of self and society.

At its core, Story Time highlights the fundamental human activity of storytelling. The artists skilfully merge contemporary art practice with traditional narrative forms, challenging viewers to engage with themes that are as complex as they are universal. Their work offers a multifaceted exploration of how visual art can convey not only beauty and imagination but also profound insights into our cultural and personal landscapes.

Story Time will be on display at RHODES 7th - 29th March 2025, with a Private View held on Thursday 6th March, 6-8pm.