Holly Coulis
09 Oct - 14 Nov 2009
HOLLY COULIS
"Rosa, Rosa"
9 October - 14 November 2009
„Rosa, Rosa is a collection of paintings of women plus a couple of still-lifes. The people are not real, but are intended to function as portraits. They all capture moments of stillness; the women are inactive, yet engaged.
“Karen” is engraved on the nametag of the woman with her hair piled neatly on her head. She looks as though she is the guardian of the tapestry behind her. A hint of a vase of lilies, a wall label, and wood paneling provide clues to the under-funded museum where she might work.
In Leta, Esperanza, Luis a woman stands before a landscape consisting only of the sunset. On either of her arms sits a parrot. The birds interact with each other, while the woman looks directly out of the canvas. Her calmness is in contrast with the liveliness of the birds. There is a suggestion of flight not only for the parrots, but also for Esperanza. She is wearing too much green eye-shadow and a her face is framed by a cheap orange curtain through which spare outside lights can be seen. In “Coffee and Kahlua”, the protagonist looks out of the corners of her eyes. Maybe she is waiting for a friend in a roadside diner. Or she might be anticipating her drink, or simply feeling discomfort at being out alone.
The narratives in my paintings are mundane, but there is a hint of the surreal hovering around the edges. The women are self-possessed and aware. Carefully chosen clothing and backgrounds serve as clues, yet the details of their stories are purposefully vague.“
Holly Coulis, October 2009
"Rosa, Rosa"
9 October - 14 November 2009
„Rosa, Rosa is a collection of paintings of women plus a couple of still-lifes. The people are not real, but are intended to function as portraits. They all capture moments of stillness; the women are inactive, yet engaged.
“Karen” is engraved on the nametag of the woman with her hair piled neatly on her head. She looks as though she is the guardian of the tapestry behind her. A hint of a vase of lilies, a wall label, and wood paneling provide clues to the under-funded museum where she might work.
In Leta, Esperanza, Luis a woman stands before a landscape consisting only of the sunset. On either of her arms sits a parrot. The birds interact with each other, while the woman looks directly out of the canvas. Her calmness is in contrast with the liveliness of the birds. There is a suggestion of flight not only for the parrots, but also for Esperanza. She is wearing too much green eye-shadow and a her face is framed by a cheap orange curtain through which spare outside lights can be seen. In “Coffee and Kahlua”, the protagonist looks out of the corners of her eyes. Maybe she is waiting for a friend in a roadside diner. Or she might be anticipating her drink, or simply feeling discomfort at being out alone.
The narratives in my paintings are mundane, but there is a hint of the surreal hovering around the edges. The women are self-possessed and aware. Carefully chosen clothing and backgrounds serve as clues, yet the details of their stories are purposefully vague.“
Holly Coulis, October 2009