Solo Date: Swan Song
Stephanie Temma Hier at Anton Kern Gallery
I love when art can just speak for itself. The colors, the craft, and the spirit of this group of works by Stephanie Temma Hier scratched my brain just right. Yesterday, I took myself on a date to Anton Kern Gallery in Midtown East to see this show. I highly recommend you all to go check it out because it will definitely be worth it, especially if you’re appreciative of careful craftsmanship and soft femininity. Few shows have had the power to touch me in such a distinct way. Being there, with the gallery to myself, was like stepping into a girl’s dream, surreal but comforting, somewhere I’d like to live or at least escape to. When I first saw an ad for the show, its swan motifs emerged as a quiet invitation, drawing me in. Swans have been an emblem for me growing up and I think of the swan my spirit animal. When I was a little girl, my favorite movie was Barbie: Swan Lake (2003) and the film’s aesthetic has definitely shaped how I take in the world around me, somehow directing the little things I appreciate. Seeing Hier’s work for the first time felt like a return to the way the world once looked to me as a child. Nothing made sense but everything was so beautiful.
Swan Song reminded me of Hilma af Klint’s Swan Series (1914-15). If you know me, you know that the Swan Series is my favorite body of work of all time. I loved it so much I wrote my undergraduate thesis on it, diving deep into af Klint’s beautiful but haunting world in the process. (If you want to read more about af Klint’s Swan Series, feel free to message me and I will gladly send you my research!) Swan Song feels like branch of Af Klint’s esoteric wisdom and feminine touch—the oil pantings emerging from flatness towards the third dimension, activated by Hier’s remarkable ceramic artistry. The frames of her paintings, all hand-crafted ceramic shoes, protect them with a feminine footprint, truly cementing Stephanie Temma Hier as a stand-out superstar.
I hope my writing inspires you all to take a look at Hier’s work. Make the trip and take yourself on your own solo-date if need be. (it’s actually very fun) Also, if you’re interested in Hilma af Klint and her style, I encourage you to take a look at her work as well. It’s mind-bending and af Klint was definitely painting for the future. See you next time. Xx Lucy 🦢.
P.S. I loved this show so much I made a playlist inspired by it! Check it out here.
Lucy, I am so touched by your writing and beautiful connections you are making with the work you are viewing! We are taken in a journey and open to maybe going on a solo journey to see more! Keep it coming!❤️🤩
Lucy I really love your substack! I’m learning a lot and your writing is beautiful; it feels like we’re all entering a conversation with you. Thank you for your words!