In my two- and three-dimensional paintings I explore light and shadow as a metaphor for the human condition, with its many complexities and contradictions. I am interested in the inner transfiguration that takes place apart from theological dogma, leading to higher states of consciousness. Taking my inspiration from religious iconography, I use inverse perspective and conflicting light sources to redirect attention from pictorial space back to the viewer. These subtle shifts in perspective turn the focus inward, where one encounters authenticity and self-realization in their myriad forms. The boxes and geometric shapes cast irreconcilable shadows, creating tension that is harmonized within the overall composition. I often include text cut from sacred books and classic literature, citing passages that speak to our divine nature as well as our human nature. While the content is rooted in my former affiliation with organized religion, the work is intentionally ambiguous and open to interpretation. My hope is that we look beyond the contradictory viewpoints to see the humanity that is our common heritage, because in the end, that is all that matters.
Meg Hitchcock is a New York-based painter, three-dimensional artist, and writer. She is a 2024 Pollock Krasner Grant recipient and a 2023 Gottlieb Foundation Grant recipient. She received a BFA in painting from the San Francisco Art Institute and studied classical painting in Florence, Italy. Her work with paint and text is an expression of her lifelong interest in religion, psychology, and literature. Hitchcock's work has been shown nationally and internationally and has been included in shows at MASS MoCA, Currier Museum of Art, CODA Museum (Netherlands), Virginia MOCA, and Crystal Bridges Museum, where she was included in State of the Art: Discovering American Art Now. Her work has been reviewed in numerous publications, including Art in America, ArtCritical, The New Criterion, Huffington Post, and Hyperallergic. Hitchcock writes the art blog “IN THEIR STUDIOS: Conversations with Artists”, where she invites artists to discuss their work and process.