Project Room: Broken Hearts: Zoe Hawk

Yet, as the viewer spends time with the works, a sense of unease begins to emerge through small details Hawk paints into these wholesome scenes. At times embodying innocence and curiosity, and at others confronting uncertainty and fear, the series explores both the wonder and heartbreak of coming of age. A swan boat carries one apprehensive girl towards a dark, mysterious tunnel, while a group of Girl Scouts, surrounded by a cold landscape, collectively build a fragile bundle of kindling, holding a tiny, hopeful flame of light.

The figures inhabit self-contained worlds, acting out intimate dramas with bold backdrops that feel theatrical and surreal. Their uniform skirts, knee-high socks, bright dresses, and Peter Pan collars become costumes of feminine identity. Suspended somewhere between childhood and adulthood, between fairy tales and the dark realities of womanhood, the girls act out an intricate play of longing, companionship, and discovery. Their stories invite viewers to reflect on the fragile, transformative moments when innocence begins to give way to experience, and identity is shaped as much by uncertainty as by hope.