Brenda Draney | Drink from the River

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Brenda Draney, “Evacuation,” 2013

oil on canvas, 36 x 48 in (courtesy of the Gallery)

Opening Reception: July 25th, 6pm

Brenda Draney’s Drink from the river features works that delve into the complex questions around the notion of intimacy. Sifting through images culled from her own personal archive, her memory, and the Internet, Draney refers to figures and moments that have shaped her lived experiences. In her paintings, however, Draney leaves space for viewers to reflect upon the content presented as well as the subject matter at hand. Brenda Draney’s artworks explore the relationship between memory-making and knowledge production by way of storytelling. Examining the ways in which narratives are not only formed and shaped by personal or shared events but also influenced by socially accepted constructs, her works invite us to constantly reconsider what we think we know.

Throughout the exhibition, Drink from the River invites deep rumination and contemplation on the vulnerabilities that are kept hidden or at bay. It suggests that what is truly intimate can also be truly horrific; that what is buried away can be agonizing. Oftentimes, the body, as if haunted, unconsciously responds to these pains even when only slightly exposed. Yet like a punctum, these sufferings can lead to a private understanding of oneself, independent of any cultural code. But to begin, we must be willing to drink from the river.