Kirsten Tradowsky | Gatherings

“This painting series is a meditation on group gatherings outside. Inspired by the behaviors so many of us adopted during the pandemic, I searched for vintage photographs, slides, and family films that show people spending time outside, with others, suspended in the moment. There is so much we don’t know: Are these people part of a group, on a family vacation, arriving, or leaving? They are dispersed in space, some attending a whimsical spectacle with strangers, like a parade or the World’s Fair, others gathering with family and friends for a backyard barbecue. How do you feel when you look at these gatherings? Anxious? Longing for connection? I cannot look at group gatherings the same way I once did. And I want you, the viewer, to share in this experience, stepping in and out of my paintings bringing your own feelings. On top of that I layer vintage colors and patterns, trying to calm this feeling of unease with a sense of belonging and continuity through generations.” - Kirsten Tradowsky