MEGHANN STEPHENSON: SWAN DIVE

Half Gallery is pleased to present Swan Dive, Meghann Stephenson’s solo exhibition with the gallery.

November 20 – December 21, 2024

In her debut solo exhibition, Swan Dive, Stephenson poses the question: “Who gets to self-destruct, and is it always a bad thing?” Challenging the view that self-destruction is inherently negative, she explores it as a form of agency. For women burdened by societal demands for perfection and self-sacrifice, the allure of rejecting these expectations raises complex questions. If the path to "success" is unwinnable, does freedom lie in defying what we are told to desire and become? Stephenson invites us to reconsider: Why be a cut tulip when you could be a weed, still alive, breaking through the cracks of the sidewalk.

Through works like Delicate, a tense depiction of glasses balancing on the edge of a table, and Bite the Hand, which uses a breadcrumb to symbolize the habit of giving so little in a relationship, Stephenson examines the small fractures that lead to larger breaks. The End features pearls that spell out the title in Morse code, hinting at quiet, unspoken truths. In Everything You Ever Wanted, she evokes the overwhelming weight of societal perfection—a reflection inspired by her mother’s story of going into labor after hauling home 150 white plates for a dinner party, a commitment to flawless hosting.

With surreal elements, hidden messages, and vignettes of hands, Swan Dive not only captures the transactional nature of relationships but also pays homage to the symbolic storytelling found in historical paintings.

Stephenson’s exhibition invites viewers into a blend of intimacy and rebellion, raising questions of power, choice, and the spaces in between.