Meghann Stephenson's 'Queen of the Neighborhood!' Maps Dante's Inferno to Women's Inner Lives

From September 9 to October 8, 2026, Half Gallery in New York will showcase nine new pieces by Los Angeles artist Meghann Stephenson. Titled 'Queen of the Neighborhood!', the exhibition draws inspiration from Dante's Inferno, with each artwork representing one of the nine circles of Hell. Through a feminine perspective, Stephenson reinterprets themes of anger, violence, vanity, desire, and inaccessibility, presenting them as more subtle and intimate forms of transgression. Her figurative paintings and still-lifes often depict women in nightgowns set against rich backgrounds, utilizing symbols like picket fences, tulips, and apples to delve into agency and societal norms regarding women's behavior. Works such as 'Are You Looking Up?', 'Feels Like Drowning', and 'Girl's Best Friend' embody a meditative quality, exploring contrasts between light and dark, innocence and betrayal.