Richard Heller Gallery is pleased to present Sabrina Bockler, Shallow Water. This is Bockler's first solo exhibition with the gallery. We interviewed Sabrina in our print edition in 2024.
"For my show Shallow Water, I found inspiration in the myth of Diana and Actaeon," Bockler says. "Diana is an outlier in the way women and goddesses are typically portrayed in ancient myths. She fiercely protects her sacred space, and her strength comes from her autonomy—her ability to navigate the world on her own terms. When Actaeon intrudes upon her domain, her response is both swift and resolute. She isn’t portrayed as a victim; rather, her beauty or femininity doesn’t imply any weakness. Instead, Artemis embodies strength in her unyielding protection of herself and her world. Alongside this myth, I was also inspired by Ingmar Bergman’s The Virgin Spring, where themes of action, consequence, and duality are explored with nuance and depth.
"As I reflected on the tensions in our current political landscape and the ongoing quest for women’s autonomy, I found that a central theme for this body of work had to focus on intrusion and the delicate balance of boundaries—those moments when space or authority is crossed, and how these actions ripple outward. The myth resonated with me because it speaks to the complexity of boundaries and the natural responses they elicit. For me, this myth wasn’t just a story from the past; it became a framework to engage with timeless questions around personal space, respect, and the balance of power. It also offered a way to process these themes within the context of nature and opulence—two elements that are intrinsically tied to ideas of balance, preservation, and the subtle forces that disrupt them."
