The Stillness of the City

THE STILLNESS OF THE CITY
Daina Higgins, Shushana Rucker, Sophie White & Martha Wirkijowski

February 26 - March 22, 2020

Cerulean Arts is pleased to present The Stillness of the City, an exhibition of paintings by Daina Higgins, Shushana Rucker, Sophie White & Martha Wirkijowski. The urban landscape, with its implicit human presence, serves as subject matter, yet the works presented are absent any figures. Daina Higgins is drawn to non-places or unheroic landscapes, those not visited by tourists. Her use of light, color and composition elevate these modest subjects into a poetic realm. Shushana Rucker looks for the influence of humans on the landscape and the impact of time on manmade structures. Through direct painting and a subdued palette, she explores aging neighborhoods and railyards, and is better able to understand the people who interact with them. Martha Wirkijowski prioritizes atmosphere, form and shadow over minute detail in her luminous cityscapes. Her dramatic use of color and light intensifies her subject, creating a mysterious narrative. Sophie White paints perceptually from highly considered subjects in her immediate environment that carry an emotional significance for her. Her rapid paint handling burns through superficial appearances to get at the essence of this connection.