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That fleeting moment of perfection is gloriously captured by Emily Blom in her exhibition of new works, To Hold What Fades. But alongside the delicate paintings of beautiful young women that have become Emily’s signature, there are surprises.
The cherry blossom is a perfect metaphor: “The blossom falls gracefully after its brief, stunning bloom. Its beauty short-lived,” Emily reflects. “Yet the fleeting nature of its existence is what makes it so beautiful. It is this moment, suspended between blossoming and fading, that I have sought to capture in this body of work.”
Beautiful young women on the cusp of womanhood, their faces hidden from view, “are suspened in that magical moment before change.” In Among the Golden Leaves we gaze down on Emily’s daughter Madeline, her long dress encircled like a rose. “It’s as if a seed has emerged from the darkness and a flower is unfurling.” All Emily’s figures are swathed in rich decorative clothing. “I love the inherent feminity of fabric.”
But, in To Hold What Fades Emily expands her artistic voice. She also presents a series of small still-life flowers, however it is her five-panelled landscape of kunanyi/Mount Wellington that demands attention: “My exhibition explores the strength and vulnerability of femininity, and I have approached this landscape from that viewpoint. The mountain is presented as a feminine presence looking over us, nurturing us and protecting us.”
Emily Blom and Katina Gavalas’ exhibition, opens at Handmark this Friday June 20 until July 21.
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