"When I paint at this scale, rather than larger works, the size itself helps the painting function as a portal, inviting someone to step in towards the work, peer closer, and in doing so become more aware of the relational dynamic I’m interested in - between observer and observed. I’ve recently been interested in the idea that the domestic interior is both a physical and psychological space - in particular Gaston Bachelard’s understanding that the house is not just a house, but a place where daydream, memory and interiority take shape. The intimate detail of the netted curtains, the curve of the mirror, the viewing of both figures through these frames (window and mirror) - create thresholds and barriers that are both architectural details and psychological ones, allowing a brief glimpse into an inner life."
Cece Philips, July 2026