The exhibition
My solo show in Newport Art Museum’s Ilgenfritz Gallery, KELSY PATNAUDE AT SEA (with cole brauer), depicts the 130-day voyage of my close friend Cole Brauer, the first American woman to complete a non-stop, single-handed race around the world. Central to the show is a 100ft painted panorama which reflects the awe and fear of the ocean.
I use the panorama to tell a powerful story, transporting the viewer to a world they may never otherwise experience. Accompanying the painted panorama is a chronological sequence of all the videos Cole shared during the race (gaining her over half a million Instagram followers in the process), and a 100-foot paper scroll rendering of my sketchbook which comprises personal conversations with Cole, observations, and notes from books about the sublime. Together, Cole and I integrate the feminine into a historically masculine space. The exhibition intimately conveys the friendship and dialogue between two local female sailors and is unique in its space, structure and immersiveness.
Curated by Dodie Kazanjian, the show set attendance records for the Newport Art Museum on opening night (October 25th 2024).
Location & Closing Date
Monday, April 28
Newport Art Museum
76 Bellevue Ave
Newport, RI
About Kelsy
Working as a professional yacht captain and living in Newport, RI, I am a local artist integrated in the community’s marine industry. I am currently the Captain of the local 12 Metre racing yacht Onawa, built in 1928.
