Sandra Cavanagh
War & Myth
June 23 - August 4, 2024
The Art Districts Online Exhibit
All pieces are available for purchase
Works Exhibited
War and Myth showcases a series of paintings developed in response to current global events. Cavanagh sustains a mostly figurative focus in reaction to historical narratives, including her own.
Sandra Cavanagh
Fila
Oil on canvas
122 x 183cm (48 x 72in
2021
Sandra Cavanagh
After Eden II, Fratricide
Oil on canvas
183 x 152cm (72 x 60in)
2024
Sandra Cavanagh
Dressing the Bride, Danaë II
Oil on canvas
152 x 183cm (60 x 72in)
2024
Sandra Cavanagh
Adam & Eve
Oil on canvas
Total size: 122 x 122cm (48 x 48in) Diptych
2022
Sandra Cavanagh
Warrior at Rest
Oil on canvas
183 x 122cm (72 x 48in)
2022
Sandra Cavanagh
The Death of Hector I
Oil on canvas
152 x 183cm (60 x 72in)
2023
Sandra Cavanagh
After Eden III
Oil on canvas
152 x 183cm (60 x 72in)
2024
Sandra Cavanagh
The Death of Hector II
Oil on canvas
183 x 183cm (72 x 72in)
2023
Sandra Cavanagh
Dressing the Bride, Danaë I
Oil on canvas
152 x 183cm (60 x 72in)
2024
Sandra Cavanagh
Las Moiras
Oil on canvas
152 x 122cm (60 x 48in)
2022
Exhibit Summary
The current exhibition delves into the profound themes of mortality and the loss of innocence, exploring these concepts through the lens of cross-generational stories. It reflects on the enduring relevance of myth in art, the persistence of foundational stereotypes, and the pervasive nature of violence in everyday life. This collection is deeply rooted in the interplay between form and message, with a particular focus on formal variations on a theme.
The artist's approach often involves working in series, creating urgent pictorial storylines that seek to exhaust both subject and form. This relentless exploration aims to reach a point of understanding or to achieve a sense of catharsis. The resulting works are annotations of emotions, underscored by a dramatic interplay of form and content, offering a poignant commentary on the human experience. We feel privileged to showcase it.
We sat down with Sandra to ask her a few questions regarding this exhibit..!
The Art Districts: Can you describe the main themes and ideas that you explore in your work, and how they are reflected in this exhibit?
Sandra Cavanagh: Recently, I’ve focused on the portrayal of multiple narratives, and the use of mythologies to comment on contemporary issues. These age old stories spanning generations retain immense psychological significance and offer poignant reflections of present societal struggles. As a narrative painter I find them to be a fecund source of formal invention just as they illuminate various facets of the human experience.
What are some specific sources of inspiration for your current collection, and how have they influenced your creative process?
The current collection is a response to my alarm over global events. I’ve increasingly sought for dramatic figuration to describe some of their ghastly aspects.
Could you share the story or personal experiences behind one or two pieces in this exhibit, and how they encapsulate the overall narrative of your work?
I come from Argentina, a society well-acquainted with abuses of power and the corruption prevalent among political and military circles. During my youth, I witnessed violence and collective trauma—an atmosphere where people dared not challenge authority. Perhaps it’s this lingering outrage that seeks expression. As the poet once sang, ‘When will we ever learn?’
How do you hope viewers will engage with your art, and what emotions or thoughts do you aim to evoke through this exhibit?
I hope that viewers will find beauty in the work, perhaps an uncomfortable beauty. I hope they’ll give it their time and be stirred by it, heart and head.
What artistic techniques and materials do you use, and how do they contribute to the meaning and impact of your pieces?
I work with a variety of artistic materials: oils for painting, inks and graphite for drawing, and various types of pencils and crayons. I particularly appreciate materials that offer malleability, allowing me to achieve expressive results.
Bio:
Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Cavanagh’s first two decades were pitched on the tensions between a loving family life and constant political upheavals, unrestrained military governments and the ominous danger of politically sanctioned brutality and censorship. She read Social Sciences at the University of Belgrano, Buenos Aires before emigrating to California and later to the UK where she completed studies in Fine Art. She returned to full residency in the United States in 2010 and has worked and resided in New York City ever since.
Sandra Cavanagh’s career began in 1997, after completing a Foundation in Fine Arts and a BA degree from the Kent Institute of Art and Design, University of Kent, UK. In the time since she has maintained a consistent practice and developed a large portfolio of work to include paintings, drawings and prints. She sustains a mostly narrative focus, often as a reaction to sociopolitical events with the intention of codifying ideas and feelings. Within this development, various subjects recur, such as the mythological feminine as a vehicle to explore patriarchal brutality and its weight on the collective, the consideration of mortality and the loss of innocence in cross-generational stories, visceral reactions both to memories and events of current general concern.