B07 Going Swimming Beryl Cook

The composition presents a scene unfolding on a seaside promenade, rendered in a stylized and somewhat distorted manner. A group of figures dominates the foreground, all exhibiting exaggerated physical proportions – a characteristic that immediately draws attention and suggests a commentary beyond straightforward representation.
Here we see a man carrying a child who is enjoying an ice cream cone; his posture conveys a sense of deliberate strength, almost caricature-like in its exaggeration. Beside him stands a woman pushing a stroller containing another infant. Her attire, reminiscent of swimwear, reinforces the setting’s recreational context. The figures are not depicted with naturalism; instead, their features and bodies are amplified, contributing to an overall feeling of absurdity or satire.
Further down the promenade, other individuals can be discerned – a man walking in the distance and a group relaxing on rocks near the waters edge. These secondary figures contribute to the sense of a bustling public space, yet they remain somewhat peripheral to the central focus on the exaggerated forms of the immediate foreground characters.
The color palette is vibrant, with blues and greens dominating the background seascape, contrasting with the brighter hues of the figures’ clothing. The use of strong outlines further emphasizes the stylized nature of the work.
Subtly, the painting seems to explore themes of leisure, family dynamics, and perhaps even societal expectations surrounding body image or notions of idealization. The exaggerated forms could be interpreted as a critique of consumerism, mass tourism, or the pursuit of an idealized lifestyle – a commentary on how these pursuits can distort perceptions of reality and lead to self-consciousness. The presence of children, particularly their enjoyment of ice cream, adds another layer, potentially suggesting the transmission of cultural values and desires across generations. Ultimately, the work invites a critical examination of the conventions surrounding representation and the complexities of modern life.