ArtWalk artist Wladyslaw Prosol, left, stands with Hartford Public Library board Chair David Barrett at the opening of last year’s ArtWalk season on Nov. 5, 2021.
The 2022-2023 season of Hartford Public Library’s ArtWalk will open next month with an exhibition of paintings created by Wethersfield artist Brigid Kennedy focusing on issues of social justice during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Paintings explore the pandemic’s impact on issues such as immigration, education, mental health, race and class.
Originally a sculptor, Kennedy transitioned to painting for this exhibition, titled “Visual Narratives.” She utilized acrylic paint, oil paint and pen. With regard to how the medium of her art influences the subject matter, Kennedy explains, “The painting surfaces I use illuminate color and allow me to create images that engage visually while shining a light on these societal challenges. My work chronicles the human condition, making connections through memory, lived experience and creative vision.”
Brigid Kennedy has worked in both New York City and Central Connecticut as an artist, and she has also created site-specific exhibits in Europe and South America. Most of her earlier work is abstract sculpture, but she has recently changed her focus to painting. Her work is displayed in the collections of The Burchfield Penney Art Center; The New Britain Museum of American Art; Pratt Institute; and Trinity College.
This exhibition marks the start of a season featuring a diverse group of artists who each examine unique themes through their work.
ArtWalk at Hartford Public Library is open to visitors from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The gallery is located on the third floor of the Downtown Library at 500 Main St., Hartford, CT 06103. This season is funded by the Edward C. and Ann T. Roberts Foundation and Suzanne Hopgood in memory of Frank Lord.
The 2022-2023 ArtWalk Season Lineup
Visual Narratives
Brigid Kennedy
Exhibit runs: September 16 – November 13, 2022
Reception: Friday, September 16, 2022, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Brigid Kennedy’s paintings represent the pandemic’s effect on social justice and injustices.
Ebb & Flow
Barbara Hocker
Exhibit runs: December 2, 2022 – January 22, 2023
Reception: Friday, December 2, 2022, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Influenced by her practice of yoga, Tai Chi and Qi Gong, Hocker’s “Ebb & Flow” exhibition depicts the importance of the many forms of water in nature –– waterfalls, oceans, skies and rivers. The exhibition is composed of digital photography, printmaking, water media and encaustic on paper. Hocker holds a degree in fibers from Syracuse University’s College of Visual & Performing Arts and attended Cranbrook Academy of Arts. She maintains a studio in the Arbor Arts Center in Hartford.
In Living Memory
Traé Brooks
Exhibit runs: February 10 – April 2, 2023
Reception: Friday, February 10, 2023, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
“In Living Memory” is a tribute to Brooks’ grandmother, Linna A. Brooks, whom he describes as his “foundation growing up.” The exhibit consists of portraits, domestic installation, reading material, music and scent to commemorate her legacy and explore Brooks’ own family history. Brooks holds a bachelor of fine arts degree from the University of Hartford and currently works as a gallery employee at WORK_SPACE in Manchester.
Art is Work; Work is Art
Joe Bun Keo, Rick Bogdan, David Borawski, Jon Eastman and Christopher Schoeder
Exhibit runs: April 21 – June 10, 2023
Reception: Friday, April 21, 2023, 5:30-7:30pm
Despite coming from different backgrounds and having different interests, each artist in this group works as a museum professional assembling exhibits or private collections. This mixed media exhibit examines the intersection of art and labor, and how labor is itself art.