At Art Basel Miami Beach 2025 Kabinett Section, Philip Martin Gallery presents, "O Sole Mio," an exhibition of new diaristic paintings by New Orleans-based artist Sophie Treppendahl. In these works, Treppendahl depicts herself - a working person and mother - making her way in our country. We see the artist holding her baby while painting, making her livelihood, planning for the future. Art that shows the diversity of experience - who we really are, not what society tells us about ourselves - is one of the most important topics in American art today. Art reminds us of the individual power of our own voices as a means by which to counteract modern mass culture, its politics and its representations.
"O Sole Mio," the title of Sophie Treppendahl's solo exhibition, is an Italian lullaby, one that celebrates one's family as the center of a certain moment in one's life. In the history of art-making, female artists and art professionals all too often have been pressured to choose between pursing their own artistic vision and their family. Sophie Treppendahl depicts herself, her creative practice, and her family as inseparable aspects of an indivisible whole. The personal is political. At the same time, she doubles down on painting as a means by which to depict and comprehend the world, as so many artists throughout art history have done in times of crisis. In Sophie Treppendahl's work, we see her pregnant at 17 weeks; nude images of the man she loves; the tables in her studio covered with self-help books, anti-depressants, anxiety medications and half-eaten meals. We see art books - above all art books - Treppendahl's heroes and heroines - the people who walked before her, be it Alice Neel painting a young family; Sylvia Sleigh picturing her lover; Beauford Delauney and his partner. While some artists escape into imagined worlds, others consider the environment around them with a critical eye. They "work from life:" how it is; how we see it. In doing so, these artists offer a means by which to consider interiority; our interactions with others; what we want for ourselves; and the society in which we live. At a time in which one could fall in love with a chatbot, lose one's job to the capricious cost-cutting measures of a billionaire, be disappeared off the street by masked police - in America of all places? - art has the power to reveal truth, to provide cause for reflection, and to demonstrate the agency of experience for both maker and viewer alike. Above all, art has the power to remind us to ask questions. Who are we as individuals in modern America? Let us look at ourselves with honesty and find out. How do we want to live together? Let us consider each other with openness and learn something. What kind of society do we want to have? Let us think clearly about ourselves; the people with whom we share our country; what we want for each other and our shared world. In her work, Sophie Treppendahl presents a strong young female voice, the voice of a young working woman, with all its considerations and complexity.
Sophie TREPPENDAHL (b. 1991, Baton Rouge, LA) received her BFA from College of Charleston (Charleston, SC) in 2013. In January 2025, Sophie Treppendahl's work was the recently the subject of "The Nearness of You" (Philip Martin Gallery, Los Angeles, CA Treppendahl’s work was featured in The New York Times front-page Arts Section story, “What Our Critics Are Looking Forward to in 2024.” Sophie Treppendahl's recent and upcoming solo and group exhibitions include “The Nearness of You,” “Take Care of Yourself,” and “The Sky Has a Thousand Windows,” Philip Martin Gallery (Los Angeles, CA); Haverkampf Leistenschneider (Berlin, Germany); Jack Hanley Gallery (New York, NY); Hashimoto Contemporary (New York, NY); Johansson Projects (Oakland, CA); Quirk Gallery (Richmond, VA); Kenise Barnes Fine Art (Larchmont, NY); 1969 Gallery (New York, NY); Carrie Secrist Gallery (Chicago, IL); Heaven Gallery (Chicago, IL); Indianapolis Art Center (Indianapolis, IN); Ada Gallery (Richmond, VA); Dread Lounge (Los Angeles, CA); The Broad (Richmond, CA); How’s Howard (Boston, MA); The Southern Gallery (Charleston, SC); Gildar Gallery (Denver, CO); and Richard and Dolly Mass Gallery (Purchase, NY). Treppendahl has been awarded residencies with the Golden Foundation (New Berlin, NY); 100 W Corsicana (Corsicana, TX); The Provincial (Chief, MI); and The Wassaic Project (Wassais, NY). Her work has been reviewed in publications such as Booooooom, White Hot Magazine of Contemporary Art, Hyperallergic, and Chicago Reader. Treppendahl lives and works in New Orleans, LA.
"O Sole Mio," the title of Sophie Treppendahl's solo exhibition, is an Italian lullaby, one that celebrates one's family as the center of a certain moment in one's life. In the history of art-making, female artists and art professionals all too often have been pressured to choose between pursing their own artistic vision and their family. Sophie Treppendahl depicts herself, her creative practice, and her family as inseparable aspects of an indivisible whole. The personal is political. At the same time, she doubles down on painting as a means by which to depict and comprehend the world, as so many artists throughout art history have done in times of crisis. In Sophie Treppendahl's work, we see her pregnant at 17 weeks; nude images of the man she loves; the tables in her studio covered with self-help books, anti-depressants, anxiety medications and half-eaten meals. We see art books - above all art books - Treppendahl's heroes and heroines - the people who walked before her, be it Alice Neel painting a young family; Sylvia Sleigh picturing her lover; Beauford Delauney and his partner. While some artists escape into imagined worlds, others consider the environment around them with a critical eye. They "work from life:" how it is; how we see it. In doing so, these artists offer a means by which to consider interiority; our interactions with others; what we want for ourselves; and the society in which we live. At a time in which one could fall in love with a chatbot, lose one's job to the capricious cost-cutting measures of a billionaire, be disappeared off the street by masked police - in America of all places? - art has the power to reveal truth, to provide cause for reflection, and to demonstrate the agency of experience for both maker and viewer alike. Above all, art has the power to remind us to ask questions. Who are we as individuals in modern America? Let us look at ourselves with honesty and find out. How do we want to live together? Let us consider each other with openness and learn something. What kind of society do we want to have? Let us think clearly about ourselves; the people with whom we share our country; what we want for each other and our shared world. In her work, Sophie Treppendahl presents a strong young female voice, the voice of a young working woman, with all its considerations and complexity.
Sophie TREPPENDAHL (b. 1991, Baton Rouge, LA) received her BFA from College of Charleston (Charleston, SC) in 2013. In January 2025, Sophie Treppendahl's work was the recently the subject of "The Nearness of You" (Philip Martin Gallery, Los Angeles, CA Treppendahl’s work was featured in The New York Times front-page Arts Section story, “What Our Critics Are Looking Forward to in 2024.” Sophie Treppendahl's recent and upcoming solo and group exhibitions include “The Nearness of You,” “Take Care of Yourself,” and “The Sky Has a Thousand Windows,” Philip Martin Gallery (Los Angeles, CA); Haverkampf Leistenschneider (Berlin, Germany); Jack Hanley Gallery (New York, NY); Hashimoto Contemporary (New York, NY); Johansson Projects (Oakland, CA); Quirk Gallery (Richmond, VA); Kenise Barnes Fine Art (Larchmont, NY); 1969 Gallery (New York, NY); Carrie Secrist Gallery (Chicago, IL); Heaven Gallery (Chicago, IL); Indianapolis Art Center (Indianapolis, IN); Ada Gallery (Richmond, VA); Dread Lounge (Los Angeles, CA); The Broad (Richmond, CA); How’s Howard (Boston, MA); The Southern Gallery (Charleston, SC); Gildar Gallery (Denver, CO); and Richard and Dolly Mass Gallery (Purchase, NY). Treppendahl has been awarded residencies with the Golden Foundation (New Berlin, NY); 100 W Corsicana (Corsicana, TX); The Provincial (Chief, MI); and The Wassaic Project (Wassais, NY). Her work has been reviewed in publications such as Booooooom, White Hot Magazine of Contemporary Art, Hyperallergic, and Chicago Reader. Treppendahl lives and works in New Orleans, LA.
