Naomi Hawksley's First Solo Exhibition at Hedera Helix Explores Psychological Complexity Through Drawings

Naomi Hawksley's inaugural solo exhibition at Hedera Helix, located in Chicago's Printer's Row, showcases nine graphite drawings created between 2022 and 2023. A recent graduate from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Hawksley presents whimsical yet unsettling pieces that delve into themes of self-reflection and awareness. Her artworks feature anonymous figures adorned with elaborate braids and blank expressions, often substituting eyes and mouths with wood-inlay designs, such as a girl embracing a dog. One piece includes the phrase 'How will I be myself today' crafted from plastic beads, prompting reflections on identity. The exhibition is open until March 17 at the intimate gallery, which has been operational since September 2021 and has featured nine shows of both emerging and established artists. Hawksley's works utilize trompe l'oeil techniques against faux-bois backgrounds, generating psychological tension through undefined features. Her latest piece, Untitled (Girl III) (2023), depicts a vacant figure pondering emptiness, hinting that the journey to adulthood involves confronting the unknown.