Brook Hsu's 'Trout Fishing in America' at Heidi London Features Handwritten Letter to Gallery Founders
Brook Hsu's exhibition titled 'Trout Fishing in America' is currently on display at Heidi in London until 7 November 2026. Among the highlights is a handwritten letter from Dubois, Wyoming, dated July 19, 2026, addressed to 'Dearest Pauline and Ben.' In this letter, Hsu reflects on her inspirations, which include Emily Dickinson and Chinese scrolls. She shares her instinctive choice to pair the letter with her artwork to encourage a more contemplative viewing experience during a time of 'crisis of attention.' Hsu also engages with Balthus's 'La Victime' and the writings of Jean Clair, suggesting an unconventional interpretation of vanitas. Additionally, she notes her introduction to Richard Brautigan's literature and the necessity for a fresh language for love as an active 'love action.'
Key facts
- Brook Hsu's solo exhibition 'Trout Fishing in America' is at Heidi in London until 7 November 2026.
- The exhibition includes a handwritten letter interspersed with Hsu's paintings.
- The letter is dated July 19, 2026, from Dubois, Wyoming, and addressed to 'Dearest Pauline and Ben,' the founder and director of Heidi.
- Hsu cites Emily Dickinson's compositional style and Chinese and Japanese scrolls at the Nelson Atkins Museum in Kansas City as influences.
- Hsu discusses Balthus's painting 'La Victime,' which she first saw as a teenager and later addressed in her work 'La Froggy Victime,' a large-scale ink diptych on canvas.
- She notes Jean Clair's writings on 'La Victime,' which relate it to still life and mention its mirrored composition after Poussin's 'Narcissus.'
- Hsu proposes understanding 'La Victime' as a non-traditional vanitas merging still life and landscape.
- She was introduced to Richard Brautigan's writing by an older lover, citing 'The Hawkline Monster' and 'In Watermelon Sugar.'
Entities
Artists
- Brook Hsu
- Emily Dickinson
- Balthus
- Richard Brautigan
- Jean Clair
- Pierre Jean Jouve
- Poussin
- Andy Keate
Institutions
- Heidi
- Nelson Atkins Museum
Locations
- London
- United Kingdom
- Dubois
- Wyoming
- United States
- Oklahoma
- Kansas City
- Paris
- France