About
CFHILL is proud to present EDICOLA, the latest exhibition by celebrated artist Liselotte Watkins. The centerpiece of Watkins’s fifth solo show at CFHILL is an intricately crafted hexagonal chapel, a structure that cannot be physically entered, composed of 18 paintings. Together, these works form a ”totem” that weaves together themes from art history, activism, philosophy, and pop culture.
With her resolutely analog process, Watkins crafts a distinct artistic vision, reimagining the canon of art history on her own terms. Inspired by figures such as Giorgio de Chirico, Helene Schjerfbeck, and Michelangelo Pistoletto, and contemporary elements like the Supreme logo. The exhibition also draws upon the artistic and cultural currents of 1970s Italy, including Arte Povera, and reflects on the extraordinary lives of Maurice and Katia Krafft, the legendary volcanologists whose passion for volcanoes ultimately claimed their lives.
The title EDICOLA holds a dual meaning: it translates to “kiosk” in English, conjuring images of the small newspaper stands that once dotted cities like Rome and are now disappearing. It also refers to the small saint images housed in miniature chapels found throughout Italian villages—symbols of everyday spirituality. Through this duality, Watkins’s work evokes both nostalgia and timeless significance.
“EDICOLA is about storytelling and creating symbols that connect the past to the present,” Watkins shares. “It’s deeply personal, yet it draws from a collective cultural memory, blending my life in Italy with universal themes of transformation and resilience.”
Watkins’s creative process is deeply rooted in the tactile and physical. Eschewing digital tools like Google or AI, she draws inspiration from books, magazines, and collected images—a deliberate rejection of shortcuts in favor of human connection and intuition.
“Liselotte Watkins’s art is a celebration of the analog world and the layers of meaning found in physical objects and shared experiences,” says Michael Storåkers, chairman CFHILL. “Her work continues to resonate because it feels both intimate and expansive, connecting individual stories to larger cultural narratives.”
In EDICOLA, Watkins’s compositions take on a collage-like quality, where everyday objects are transformed into symbolic puzzle pieces. A recurring theme in her work is her exploration of the female form, charging her paintings with emotional depth and resonance. Her use of color has also evolved over time, moving from the vibrant, urban-inspired tones of her life in Rome to softer, romantic hues inspired by Tuscany.
Born in 1971, Watkins studied at the Art Institute of Dallas before launching her career in New York, where she gained recognition for her elegant fashion illustrations for clients like Prada and magazines such as Vogue and The New Yorker. After living in Milan, Paris, and Rome, she settled in Tuscany, where she has devoted the past decade to her studio practice.
