'4 Ocean Walk' by John MacConnell

CURATOR'S NOTE

With 4 Ocean Walk, John MacConnell turns from figure to “architectural portrait,” rendering one of the Pines’ most iconic homes as a keeper of memory. Loose, expressive brushwork and a saturated, sun-warmed palette hold the house like a character—witness to joy, secrecy, freedom, and the rituals that make this place ours.

WHY THIS WORK

A rare example of architectural painting that still feels intimate and alive.

Bridges personal nostalgia and shared queer history without sentimentality.

A reminder why the term 'architecture of seduction' exists.

ABOUT THE ARTIST

John MacConnell’s series If These Walls Could Talk shifts his focus from bodies to the places that hold them—homes across Fire Island—approaching architecture with the same sensitivity he brings to portraiture. The lines are loose, the forms are expressive, and each façade stands in for the stories it has absorbed.

DETAILS

Artist: John MacConnell
Title: 4 Ocean Walk
Year: 2024
Medium: Oil on canvas
Dimensions: 16 x 20 in.
Framing: Float-mount in black 
Provenance: The Visitors Center, from If These Walls Could Talk

STATUS

Available. Shipping and delivery available at additional cost—please inquire.