17th century Dutch painter Gerard Seghers’ painting ‘The Dream of Saint Joseph’ pictures Christ’s father asleep, whereas Brittney Leeanne Williams’s remake of the historic painting now on view at The Hole NYC, features herself in Joseph’s role, wide awake and deep in contemplation as she experiences divine visitation. Though Williams’ painting swaps out an angel with wings for a more enigmatic figure, the narrative of artistic inspiration is clear thanks to the blazing lightbulb at her side that shines light on her sketchbook and related paintings. Surreal and appearing to take place in the dark of night, Williams’ contemporary moment of illumination adds to the long trajectory of art history and blazes a new path into the future. (On view in ‘Monomythology’ at The Hole NYC through Aug 24th).
