Michaela Yearwood-Dan | A Woman of Will

A Woman of Will is an exhibition of new paintings by Michaela Yearwood-Dan at Boesky Gallery, her third solo show there. The gallery becomes a sanctuary evoking the atmosphere of a cathedral, with 13 small paintings, large lush abstractions in cobalt, gold and maroon, ceramic vases with dried flowers, and tiled wood benches made with Theodore Vass serving as pews. Drawing on her convent school years and a feminist rereading of biblical texts, Yearwood-Dan reimagines Catholic aesthetics, embedding words from pop stars like Britney Spears and Nina Simone into the paintings. The title comes from a poem by Victoria Adukwei Bulley, and the show builds a space for the practice of agape, the love bell hooks writes leads toward liberation.