Lily Brown, a Philadelphia-based artist, holds a BFA from Tyler School of Art and her MFA from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. Her art revolves around the human figure, focusing on intricate details like blood flow in knuckles, noses, and knees, as well as exploring the connection and collisions of limbs. Brown’s creative process involves using found source material, personal photography, memories, and life observations. She is drawn to subtle expressions in hand gestures and fleeting glances, often infusing her own narratives into the work, emphasizing empathy by connecting with her subjects through personal experiences. Her figures represent both close relationships in her life and strangers, forming emotional bonds through curiosity and projection. Crafting emotional bridges that may not always be shared, but echo the resonance experienced during their making.
In the gaze of the viewer, a subtle element of voyeurism weaves its way into Brown’s work. There is a sense of being an unseen observer; her exploration of empathy becomes not only an artistic endeavor but an act of voyeuristic intimacy.