- Type
- Location Williamstown, Massachusetts, United States
- Date 07-03-2024 - 08-03-2024
Corridor '62
presents
Dara Haskins: When Life Gives You Lemons You Paint Them
February 5 - May 10, 2024
CURATORIAL STATEMENT
Dara Haskins (b.1992 Baltimore) has rooted her practice in Philadelphia, PA working primarily in painting oil portraits, figurative oil and mixed media paintings. Addressing the ways the black body has been represented and looked at throughout history, she challenges the identity of being seen and unseen connecting historical content to contemporary spaces and how that relationship coexists. Haskins received her BFA at Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in 2019, winning the Franklin C. Watkins Memorial Grant for gifted painters in (2019) and The J Henry Scheidt Memorial Travel Scholarship to Cuba in (2019). Haskins currently lives and works in Philadelphia.
STATEMENT FROM THE ARTIST
My work has been impacted by the surroundings of living in Vedado and Old Havana Cuba. Originating from an important part of my painting process that lies between connecting historical content to contemporary spaces, and how that relationship coexists. It is inspired by the Afro-Cuban religion, African art, location, and music. This series explores a reflected story of intimacy, color, joy, and Afro-Cuban culture. Throughout history, the gay black body has been a reflection of racism, underrepresentation, and hardship. I am to challenge that reflection by capturing the essence of what day to day may or may not look like, manifesting normalcy and transparency in domestic spaces. I challenge the memory of my work by exaggerating color and structure to create an atmosphere as well as physical elements of figures or objects as being seen or not seen that reflect and question identity.
ABOUT CORRIDOR
'62 Corridor '62 at the '62 Center for Theater and Dance was envisioned as a space where the community would share and engage with visual and interdisciplinary art. With this mission in mind, the Corridor '62 gallery was conceived as an exhibition space to expand access to the visual arts across the Williams College community and engage the public with works of art that embody the values of the '62 Center. This space displays artwork created by underrepresented artists at various points in their careers. Corridor '62 is led by independent curatorial consultant Shawnette Smalls and a team of guest curators and volunteers. To provide feedback, please contact the Visiting Artist Producer and Outreach Manager Randal Fippinger at [email protected].
Category: Arts | Visual Arts Artist: Dara Haskins