The work of Caroline Jennings speaks to the seperativeness of being, the limits of intersubjectivity, and the rare and holy moments of true meeting: annunciation. The style of her work reminds us of many influences: Hopper with his slowing of time and isolation of being; Balthus with his recognition of the odd randomness of the quotidian; Marsh's view of everyday urban life; Hart Benton with his surreal and organic colors; Chagall’s “Birthday” and Magritte with his struggle and puzzlement with representation.
It is remarkable that Jennings' work can remind us of so many and varied sources; she allows us to relish postmodernity as her work excites so many allusions to our cultural legacy. Jennings takes these threads and weaves together a unique and persistent concern about human subjectivity. She realizes, it seems, that even our best attempts at connection, empathy and compassion, are incomplete. Empathy and compassion are mere simulations of connection.
Real connection is a moment of grace, where otherness dissolves in annunciation: deep mutual presence. The image of the dove, a persistent feature in her work, the Holy Spirit in Christian iconography, is her signifier for this moment of grace. Her images show how this timeless presence can emerge unpredictably, without ritual, in our everyday existence. Her work is an instruction and a meditation.
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