In Ethereal Paintings, Calida Rawles Plunges into the Dark Depths of Water

In This Time Before Tomorrow, artist Calida Rawles ventures into new artistic territory, moving away from her previous focus on familiar faces—namely, those of her daughters and other companions. Instead, she engages with rippling abstractions and vibrant textures, creating a dynamic visual language that obscures recognizable features through her expressive brushwork.

For Rawles, the element of water carries significant emotional weight. Influenced by scholars such as Christina Sharpe and Saidiya Hartman, she views water as a potent site for memory—a fluid vessel imbued with deep significance. Drawing inspiration from the writings of Audre Lorde, Octavia Butler, and Albert Camus, her work is underpinned by themes of change and the transformative power of hope. She poses the critical question: “What is the artist’s role in moments of crisis?”

Rawles combines hyperrealistic techniques with surreal distortions in her painting process. She begins by capturing photographs that embody a sense of ambiguity. The glimmering waves and bubbles envelop the figures’ bodies, creating reflections that suggest multiple identities merging into one. Whether these figures are surfacing from the water or diving deep into a pool, they exist in a suspended moment, their tranquil forms embraced by the liquid environment.

Her exploration of chiaroscuro is evident in the artworks, where she employs a bold acrylic palette to evoke the depths of murky waters. This dark color scheme serves as a poignant symbol of contemporary societal challenges. Rawles articulates her perspective:

“Personally, I’m grappling with the fractures within the American mythos—once rooted in the promises of democracy, inclusion, and justice. Today, that dream feels increasingly elusive. The melting pot that was once a symbol of unity now cracks under the weight of deportations; truth has become subjective; and justice feels subverted. Amidst this cultural disorientation, I find myself untethered—aware of tectonic shifts beneath both my personal and collective foundations.”

This Time Before Tomorrow will be open to the public until September 27 at Lehmann Maupin in London.