Allison Schulnik’s “Hoof II” at ZieherSmith

For her third exhibition at the gallery, Allison Schulnik focuses on oil paintings and goauches that embody her visionary ideas of enfranchisement. Schulnik’s otherworldly compositions begin as meditations or daydreams that are realized with bold applications of paint, including dense impasto that alternately conceals and reveals layers of detail.

Thematically, “Hoof II” expands upon her recent body of work featuring female protagonists, including unicorns, centaurettes, and felines as well as the dramatic “Lady,” a bewitching self-portrait. She states: “Whether they appear as animals, strange creatures or alien forms, these characters are often based on a human framework, instilling within them a humanity they retain regardless of feathers or fur or blemishes.”