Holland Cunningham

Biography

Holland Cunningham was born in Roanoke, Virginia in 1967 and was educated at the University of Virginia with a BA in Art History and Studio Art. She has studied at the Art Students League, the National Academy, and the New York School of the Arts in New York City. She was a fellow at the Bau Institute in Otranto, Italy during the summer of 2012. In the Spring of 2022, she was a visiting artist at the American Academy in Rome. Her art is in numerous public and private collections all over the world. She continues to work and live in New York City and London, England.

“My practice explores themes of memory and the passage of time. Through my exploration of found photography and abandoned places of leisure like swimming pools, tennis courts, and vacation homes, I am able to depict these moments through painting in hopes to capture the essence of the past. Whether it is a fleeting instant frozen in time or a study of the more sinister nature of an overgrown structure taken over by nature and time, I hope to invite the viewer to explore and connect based on their own experiences.

The contrast between the instantaneous nature of photography and the slow deliberate process of transforming them into paintings is compelling to me. It allows for a deeper examination of the intimate moments we often overlook; highlighting their psychological impact and the layers of memories they hold. Whether it is a fresco in an ash covered palazzo in Pompeii, a swimming pool empty and covered in vines, or a moment in time of a family snapshot, all reside in the past but the memory remains, especially as the viewer projects their own history onto the work I create.

Over time, children grow, landscapes may change, but what holds my interest is what remains once these moments have long past.”