Artist's Statement
My work is an exploration that questions, re-examines, and forges meaning—a pathway to connect with and engage the viewer. It is rooted in lived experiences, memories, and personal perspectives.
Since my early field research in West Africa, I have employed biomorphic language in my sculptures, drawings, and paintings. Until 2018, my focus remained on abstraction, specifically biomorphic forms.
More recently, I have chosen a representational approach to ensure clarity of message for the viewer. Since 2018, I have been driven to develop a new body of work: narrative paintings that chronicle contemporary social and cultural issues, drawing from personal memories and complex compositions that reflect daily life.
My recent paintings are grounded in direct observation. Through abstracted representation, they explore the intricate layers of daily life's architecture, capturing the intersection of built environments and nature. Each piece offers an inside/out perspective, delving into spatial depth and detail within singular moments.
The genesis of this series emerged during the pandemic, as I found myself contemplating familiar vistas through windows that suddenly took on new significance. Whether immersed in the soft hues of dawn or the quietude of dusk, I sought to capture the ephemeral natural light that subtly transformed these scenes. The outside view became entwined with reflections of interior spaces, both seamlessly integrated within the same frame.
As this body of work evolved, it grew in complexity, with exterior views and interior reflections weaving together into compositions that beckon exploration and engagement.
These paintings serve as a conduit for conveying intricacy through simplicity—a tactile connection to place, both literal and metaphorical. They present themselves as puzzles that unravel the hidden treasures and mysteries that surround us.
Artist’s Biography
Brigid Kennedy is a contemporary American artist, originally from Buffalo, New York, who works across multiple disciplines. Her recent paintings delve into the intricate layers of everyday life.
Kennedy earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy from the University of Toronto, followed by a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo. She furthered her education with a Master of Fine Arts degree in Sculpture from Yale University School of Art.
After honing her craft in New York City, Kennedy relocated to Connecticut. Her work has been showcased nationally and internationally, and she has lived and worked in South America and Europe.
Kennedy's art is included in prestigious collections such as The Burchfield Penney Art Center in Buffalo, New York; The New Britain Museum of American Art in New Britain, Connecticut; Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York; and Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut.
Recent solo exhibitions of Kennedy's work have been featured at Gallery on The Green in Canton, Connecticut; ArtWalk at Hartford Public Library; Five Points Gallery in Torrington, Connecticut; Ely Center of Contemporary Art in New Haven, Connecticut; and as part of a Sculptors Guild installation on Governors Island in New York City.
She has also participated in group exhibitions at venues including The Flinn Gallery in Greenwich, Connecticut; Mattatuck Museum in Waterbury, Connecticut; Carriage Trade Gallery, Odetta Gallery, Prince Street Gallery, and The Painting Center, all in New York City.
Kennedy was included in the 1977 'In Western New York' exhibition at the Buffalo AKG Museum. Her artistic contributions have been recognized with numerous awards, including the Greater Hartford Arts Council’s Individual Artist Fellowship Grant, a Fulbright Scholar Lecture/Research Award in Chile, a State of Connecticut Commission on the Arts Artists Project Grant, a Pollock-Krasner Foundation Award, three NEA Visual Artists Grants, and artist residencies at Yaddo and MacDowell.