Simchowitz is pleased to present Entanglement, Holly Lowen’s first solo exhibition at Hill House, Pasadena. Please join us for an open house and reception on Sunday, February 23rd from 11am-3pm. Holly Lowen shares her latest body of work, an evocative exploration of evolutionary psychology, sport, and domestication through the dynamic interplay of figuration and abstraction. Raised in Bethesda, Maryland, Lowen holds a BA in Art History from Duke University and a degree in Interior Architecture from The New School. Currently completing her MFA at the New York Academy of Art, Lowen works across pen, charcoal, oil, and pastel, crafting compositions that delve into the complexities of human and animal behavior. Lowen’s work reflects a continuous evolution, beginning with experi­mentation in abstraction rooted in figuration. Her early pieces play with color, form, and composition, deconstructing the subject to explore emotional resonance beyond literal representation. A pivotal shift is evident in her “Flamingo Series,” which investigates defense mechanisms in the natural world—spikes, scales, and other protective traits—and their psychological parallels in humans. Flamingos, emblematic of both grace and vulnerability, become metaphors for self-protection, their intertwined forms symbolizing mutual defense and the fragility inherent in connection. Her exploration deepens with an introspective series examining the psychological landscape of tennis—a sport she views as a fascinating study in controlled aggression and social performance. The sterile uniformity of all-white attire, the isolated confines of the court, and the tension veiled beneath polite decorum evoke themes of repression and release. Lowen dissects the mental rigor and existential underpinnings of the sport, viewing it as a microcosm of human struggle—where precision, repetition, and control are both liberating and confining—a reference to scholarship on sport and sports psychology, such as David Foster Wallace’s collection of essays written on tennis titled “String Theory”. Her entangled figures, set within formalized social structures, challenge perceptions of societal norms and boundaries. Inspired by the dynamic battle scenes of Peter Paul Rubens and Old Master studies, Lowen reinterprets these influences through a contemporary lens, crafting a haunting critique of polite society’s suppression of passion and aggression. Lowen’s paintings interrogate the paradox of human nature: the coexistence of civility and primal instinct. Her work reveals the contained animal within, navigating the thin line between composure and chaos. Similarly, Albert Camus’ reflections on sports psychology resonate through her work, particularly his view of sports as a metaphor for the absurdity of human existence. Camus explored how athletic endeavors embody the tension between the repetitive pursuit of perfection and the inherent meaninglessness of that pursuit, mirroring the broader existential struggle. For Lowen, this manifests in the portrayal of tennis as both a disciplined ritual and an absurd exercise in controlled aggression, revealing the fragility of societal structures and the human desire to impose order on chaos. Please RSVP for address and parking information at info@simchowitz.com.