The Newport Art Museum is set to unveil a new exhibition that captures a 130-day racing voyage on a 40-foot sailboat.
“KELSY PATNAUDE AT SEA (with cole brauer)” runs from October 25 to April 27, curated by Dodie Kazanjian, Vogue’s art world correspondent and founding director of Art&Newport.
The show’s centerpiece is a 100-foot panorama painting using photo-transfer, oil, graphite, and ink on linen. It depicts Cole Brauer, the first American woman to race single-handed around the world nonstop and the only female competitor in the 2023-24 Global Solo Challenge.
Executive Director Danielle Ogden says, “Sailing is crucial to Newport’s history and identity. Dodie and Kelsy have created an experience that challenges our thinking about what that legacy means today.”
The panorama captures Patnaude’s mix of awe and fear of the ocean, telling the story of a strong woman in a male-dominated field.
Patnaude, originally from Worcester, Massachusetts, and an MFA graduate from Lesley University College of Art & Design, now calls Newport home. She works as a yacht captain, balancing her time between the sea and her studio.
“Many are drawn to work at sea by the desire to experience the unknown – from awe to terror,” Patnaude explains. “For me, it’s the fear of the unknown. For Cole Brauer, it’s conquering it. For everyone watching in real time, it’s the spectacle.”
The opening reception is set for Friday, October 25, from 5 to 7 p.m., with remarks at 5:30 p.m. Brauer will be there to meet attendees.
