Tanya Merrill's Animal Instinct
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Tanya Merrill’s exhibition “Land animal, house animal” presents new oil-and-graphite paintings inspired by her move from New York City to upstate New York and the birth of her daughter. A Hyperallergic Pocket Review describes how the work depicts local animals as sentient beings with their own motivations, rather than as lesser counterparts to humans.

Artist Tanya Merrill is showing new oil-and-graphite paintings of animals in “Land animal, house animal” at 303 Gallery in New York, according to a Pocket Review published by Hyperallergic. The paintings respond to two recent changes in her life—a move from New York City to upstate New York and the birth of her daughter—and place nearby animals at the center of their own depicted worlds.

The report describes paintings of a cat, a dairy cow, a horse and a Northern harrier, also known as a marsh hawk. In A milking cow at Evelyn’s dairy (2026), Merrill uses oil and graphite on linen to portray a cow at a local dairy. The review also singles out a cat appearing in two paintings and a horse pictured at night.

Merrill frequently observes the Northern harrier from her studio. Her painting Marsh hawk (2026) draws attention to the bird’s piercing eyes and gray, white and black feathers. Hyperallergic says the work echoes regional folk art and the tradition associated with Audubon; that is the reviewer’s interpretation, not a stated account from Merrill in the supplied report.

The exhibition’s title, Land animal, house animal, brings together animals encountered in the surrounding landscape and those living closer to domestic life. The review presents the paintings as a shift in perspective: rather than treating animals as background or as objects for human use, Merrill foregrounds them as beings with their own motivations and desires.

At a glance
reportWhen: Exhibition and works discussed in the 2…
The developmentA Hyperallergic Pocket Review reports on Tanya Merrill’s new animal paintings in “Land animal, house animal,” an exhibition at 303 Gallery in New York.

Animals Take Center Stage

The paintings matter as a focused artistic response to a change in place and family life. Merrill’s move has brought local animals into regular view, while the birth of her daughter forms the other life event the review identifies as central to the new work. The report connects those experiences to an approach that questions an anthropocentric worldview—one that places humans above other animals.

For gallery visitors, that approach affects how the subjects are presented. The cow, cat, horse and bird are not described merely as symbols or scenery. The review emphasizes their particular presence, including the harrier’s watchful expression and the cow’s wide-eyed, inquisitive look. This offers a way into the exhibition without claiming that the paintings represent a broader artistic movement or that Merrill has outlined a specific program beyond the work described.

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A New Upstate Setting

Hyperallergic’s account links the exhibition to Merrill’s recent relocation from New York City to upstate New York. The report says the artist now frequently sees a Northern harrier from her studio and includes a painting of a cow at Evelyn’s dairy. These details place the work in relation to nearby animals rather than an abstract or distant natural setting.

The review also notes that Merrill gave birth to her daughter in June. It describes the move and the birth together as two life-changing experiences behind the paintings. The supplied source does not provide a fuller chronology of the move, explain how long the work took to make, or offer a statement from Merrill about the meaning of each individual painting.

“Land animal, house animal” is listed at 303 Gallery in New York. The available report is a short Pocket Review, so its coverage focuses on selected works and the reviewer’s reading of their subjects rather than a full catalogue or detailed exhibition history.

Details Beyond the Review

The supplied report does not state the exhibition’s opening or closing dates, provide a complete list of works, or specify whether the show remains open. It also does not include direct comments from Merrill, so descriptions of the exhibition’s intentions and references to folk art and Audubon should be understood as the reviewer’s account.

Further details about the paintings’ individual histories, the artist’s working process and the gallery’s exhibition schedule are not established by the available material. The source identifies the works as 2026 paintings but does not give dates for the move or explain whether every animal depicted was observed in the immediate area.

Check Gallery Exhibition Details

Readers seeking current visiting information should check 303 Gallery’s listings, since the supplied report does not give exhibition dates or current availability. The Hyperallergic Pocket Review provides the available account of the show and identifies several works, but it does not announce a later event, publication or confirmed follow-up from Merrill.

Key Questions

What is “Land animal, house animal”?

It is a Tanya Merrill exhibition at 303 Gallery in New York, featuring new oil-and-graphite paintings of animals, as reported by Hyperallergic.

Which animals appear in the paintings?

The review describes a cat, dairy cow, horse and Northern harrier, also called a marsh hawk. It says the cat appears in two paintings.

What inspired the new work?

Hyperallergic connects the paintings to Merrill’s move from New York City to upstate New York and the birth of her daughter. The review does not provide a direct statement from Merrill about each work.

Where can visitors find the exhibition?

The report lists the exhibition at 303 Gallery in New York. It does not give opening or closing dates, so visitors should consult the gallery for current access information.

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