Tanya Haden
Inspired by interesting encounters throughout her life, Tanya Haden shows drawings & paintings that explore and flesh out these amusing and at times frustrating situations for her first one artist exhibition at Rosamund Felsen Gallery.
Though humorous & spirited on the surface, ideas about vulnerability & power - as well as struggle & security - often make an appearance and underline the otherwise funny situations that are created. Two gorillas surrounded by cups of water in a fierce brawl are revealed in one of the works, while another colorful piece shows a frowning Boy Scout leader – knee high in water – displaying all his badges. Another piece provides a close up of a former landlady typing to her online sweetheart, and still another piece depicts a brightly lit public library full of bookshelves and books hiding a man pleasuring himself in the shadows. Choice of materials (such as charcoal or gauche) and line texture are utilized to various effects - chaotic and jagged or elongated and calm; and water is often depicted for its ability to flow or alter perception.
Having received by her animation degree at Cal Arts, these drawings and paintings are Haden’s way to make sense of the violence and power abuses that exist in our world that is riddled with chaos and confusion. Reflecting the compelling human need for safety & vulnerability, the playful narratives, ultimately, are introspections on the fragility and power of innocence.