Julie Heffernan’s oil paintings imagine habitats and situations formed in response to environmental collapse. "When the Water Rises: Recent Paintings by Julie Heffernan,” a new exhibition coming to the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art, offers these recent pieces. It runs Sept. 22 through Dec. 30 at the venue.
New York City-based artist Julie Heffernan crafts oil paintings on canvas that depict lush backdrops and occasionally, injects the artist herself into fantastical narratives and allegories. However, much of the recent work shown here pulls the camera back for a holistic view into fictional worlds. The artist last appeared on HiFructose.com here.
In a fantastical style, Julie Heffernan injects the landscapes of her imagination with modern and classical allegory. For her third solo exhibition at Mark Moore Gallery, opening May 7th, she will debut a new series of self-portraits that combine personal with political themes. "Pre-Occupations" continues her previous exhibition (covered here) in both mood and visual lushness, evoking thoughts of the Renaissance but set in the future. Heffernan's use of the word self-portrait is metaphorical here. Rather, traces of her can be found in her maidens' surreal surroundings.