Colleen Barry's 'Iconophilia' at Half Gallery Explores Motherhood and Image Trust

Colleen Barry's solo exhibition 'Iconophilia' at Half Gallery in New York's East Village presents 14 recent paintings that explore motherhood, tenderness, and the complexity of image-making. The works feature sturdy nude women with children and dogs, referencing ancient motifs like the Capitoline Wolf in 'Orange She-Wolf with Infants' (2026). Barry, who uses classical techniques learned from Sam Adoquei, addresses contemporary anxieties about AI-generated images, aiming to restore reverence for pictures. The exhibition builds on her 2025 show 'Good Mud' at Half Gallery's Annex Space. Barry's compositions often combine disparate elements, as in 'Janus Novus' featuring Grace Jones's head atop a Janus sculpture. The show runs through April 25, 2026.