Acrylic paint on canvas
Commissioned by Hospital Rooms for Holding Space, Hauser & Wirth, London
Created for Holding Space, a multisensory exhibition transforming Hauser & Wirth London’s North Gallery, these hand-painted cushions extend painterly concerns into the realm of the domestic and tactile. Developed in collaboration with Hospital Rooms, the works form part of an interactive presentation shaped by artist programmes within NHS mental health services.
Each cushion features a centrally positioned sphere rendered in shifting gradients of saturated colour. The forms appear luminous and dimensional, hovering against deep atmospheric grounds. As in the wall paintings and canvases, depth is constructed through tonal modulation and subtle transitions rather than physical relief. The illusion of volume is held within the flatness of painted fabric.
Scaled to the body and intended for use, the works reposition painting as an object encountered through touch as well as sight. The sphere, a recurring motif within the wider practice, becomes intimate and portable, moving from architectural space into proximity with the viewer. Within the exhibition’s immersive environment of site-specific installations and mixed media works, the cushions contribute to an expanded understanding of painting as spatial, relational and embodied.
Rather than remaining fixed to the wall, colour and illusion enter lived space. The work foregrounds painting’s capacity to shape atmosphere, offering a quiet counterpoint to spectacle through surface, material and presence.