"In the poem, Brontë declares an unshakable, fearless belief in something eternal. Gregor holds close to that spirit, but with one significant difference: she leaves off the final words, is Mine. Where Brontë speaks with certainty, Gregor is searching."
"That layer of glass becomes both literal and symbolic: a thin barrier between interior and exterior, safety and uncertainty, the self and the world beyond."
"In a world that feels loud, fractured, and uncertain, No Coward Soul offers a moment to pause. The darkness is acknowledged, but so is the small, persistent light within it. Rather than declaring fearless conviction, Gregor paints from a place of vulnerability in an attempt to find comfort in the shared experience of not having all the answers."
Rachel Gregor's solo exhibition No Coward Soul, inspired by Emily Brontë's 1846 poem, examines faith without religion and resilience amid uncertainty. Unlike Brontë's declaration of unshakable belief, Gregor presents a searching perspective shaped by personal loss, political anxiety, and instability. The exhibition features mixed media on paper and oil paintings depicting intimate subjects—self-portraits, family members, domestic objects, and plants—often viewed through glass, mirrors, or windows at night. Glass functions as both literal and symbolic barrier between interior safety and exterior uncertainty. The work shifts from Gregor's earlier focus on memory to exploring present-tense painting, creating space for reflection and vulnerability in acknowledging darkness while recognizing persistent light within it.
#contemporary-art #faith-and-spirituality #domestic-imagery #vulnerability-and-resilience #mixed-media-painting
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