On a frigid winter’s day in New York, the Tribeca-based Sapar Contemporary gallery buzzes with quiet anticipation as it hosts The Scapegoat, Emma Kathleen Hepburn Ferrer’s highly anticipated solo debut. Running until February 15, the exhibition showcases 15 evocative works, weaving themes of spirituality, sacrifice, and humanity’s symbiotic relationship with nature, brought to life through the powerful symbol of the lamb in biblical and mythological contexts.
Ferrer, 30, leads a tour of the pristine gallery, dressed in tailored vintage menswear—a nod to Katharine Hepburn’s timeless aesthetic, though her lineage links her to another Hollywood icon: Audrey Hepburn. Ferrer’s father, Sean Hepburn Ferrer, is Audrey’s son with actor Mel Ferrer.
A Journey of Artistic Mastery
Born in Switzerland and raised between Los Angeles and Italy, Ferrer’s artistic passion ignited early. “I’ve been drawing and painting for as long as I can remember,” she shares. By 18, she was accepted into the prestigious Florence Academy of Art’s Advanced Painting program, immersing herself in the classical techniques of the old masters.
After completing her studies, Ferrer moved to New York in 2015, working in various art-related roles—including an internship at Sapar Contemporary, the very gallery now celebrating her work. “It’s surreal to return here a decade later for my own exhibition,” she reflects.
Art Rooted in Nature and Symbolism
Ferrer’s practice deepened when she returned to Europe during the pandemic, converting a quaint Tuscan guesthouse into her art studio. “My studio overlooks the sea and a sprawling valley—it’s profoundly inspiring. Nature and my environment are inseparable from my creative process,” she explains.
This connection is tangible in The Scapegoat. Through muted palettes and masterful brushwork, Ferrer’s works evoke a blend of vulnerability and strength. At Sea (2024) portrays a lamb adrift on a small boat, embodying themes of betrayal and solitude, while Agnus Dei (2024) juxtaposes a resting lamb against crimson cloth, evoking sacrifice and transcendence.
A Decade-Long Obsession with The Scapegoat
The exhibition’s concept stems from Ferrer’s fascination with William Holman Hunt’s The Scapegoat, a painting she first encountered a decade ago. “That work ignited my obsession with the myth and its cultural interpretations,” she says. From ancient Greek rituals involving sacrificial lambs to symbolic acts of transference, such as sick individuals expelling their illness into frogs sent to die in exile, Ferrer’s research spanned centuries.
Standing before her painting You Will Return the Evil to its Steppe (Homage to Zurbarán) (2024), which depicts a bloodied frog, Ferrer delves into these ritualistic narratives. “The scapegoat embodies humanity’s tendency to project guilt onto the innocent,” she explains, tying her works to universal themes of empathy, justice, and redemption.
Through The Scapegoat, Ferrer cements herself as an artist to watch, blending technical finesse with profound storytelling to create works that resonate on both spiritual and emotional levels.
