Inside the Paintings: Kirsten Lovelock Explores the Symbolism Behind Her Work

Kirsten Lovelock's paintings are rich with symbolism - animals, houses and figures carry meaning far beyond what first meets the eye. Ahead of The Quiet Familiar, her pocket exhibition at Frame Workshop & Gallery (23 July – 8 August 2026), Kirsten shares her own words on the ideas and imagery behind each work.

The Shape of Our Kinship

"The dream of a young girl cradling a pig. The girl symbolises innocence and the pig brings good fortune but speaks of the material world. The pig is cradled, a loved animal requiring protection and affection. She may be protecting her own innocence from the material world or protecting her material future."

Anima, a Shared Dream

"The house at night represents introspection, the unconscious. The lights are on, but you cannot see inside. The horse is a symbol of freedom and underwater the horse is the subconscious in a protected state, unseen and untouchable. The cubes float, free of physical constraint and free to exist in an imaginary world. The painting is about individual freedom and expression."

In the Liminal Field

"The surrealist scene mixes domesticity, nature and innocence. Together, this painting is about a desire of peace, contrasting the wild with the tame, a search for an idyllic secure sanctuary. The rabbit is at once innocent, represents vulnerability and intuition, but also the need for a safe place to retreat to. The white cloth represents purity and simplicity and elevates the importance of the rabbit's presence. The small house is a safe haven, with the chair a place to rest and observe."

The Quiet Between Us

"This painting is about renewal, transition and spiritual connection. The black Robin symbolises resilience and hope, known as a miracle in conservation as the bird came back from just five adults. These birds are the spiritual messengers of good luck, new beginnings and visits from deceased loved ones. The white cloth becomes the clean slate, the open field freedom, the small house back to home roots and the plain chair a desire for simplicity."

Breath of the Other World

"This scene symbolises the displacement of communities and their vulnerability to the environment. The hills are enduring, all else are unnatural changes. The houses are floating, adrift, representing long displaced communities. The cubes speak of change. The overall reflection is the fragility of human infrastructure when challenged by the forces of nature."

The Animal Within the Dream

"The girl, hides with no face, she is resting until she is ready for what she wants to become. Her blue hair evokes rebellion, sensitivity and immersion in thought. Introspection. The cat sits in the box with the girl and represents intuition, independence and mystery, it is safe and comforted. The river and marshland symbolise transition, where the river is continuous, sometimes unpredictable in its path, but a calm flowing body of water with direction. The blue flower trees connote peace, hope and awareness."

No Time for the Timid

"The nurse is the bearer of compassion, sacrifice and is driven to care for the vulnerable. The rabbit on her shoulder is a sign she is carrying or protecting innocence. The bay is tranquil and a resting place from the open sea, while the flags on the horizon warn of a turbulent environment and the need to be ready."

The Picnic

"A surrealist and existentialist scene. The woman flees a picnic table wearing a hat, that could be a dunce cap. The table cloth is bare in a muted landscape. She is an outsider at a picnic that never happened. Indifferent to the background, she is in fact a witness. This painting is about absurdity and perseverance."

Visit the Exhibition

The Quiet Familiar | Kirsten Lovelock Pocket Exhibition featuring Annette Bull
23 July - 8 August 2026
Frame Gallery | 182 Jervois Road, Herne Bay, Auckland

View Available Works →