This exhibition is about presence, connection, and discomfort with intimate and sometimes uncomfortable spaces. The setup feels awkward on purpose. Viewers are confronted not only by the artwork, but an artist’s direct gaze.

This act of watching and being watched creates a tension that mirrors the vulnerability within artwork. Each piece explores parts of Ian’s life, including some moments that seem easier to hide behind a canvas than confront directly. By placing ourselves physically within the exhibition, we bridge the gap between the art and artists to force the audience to directly encounter the person behind the images. It can be easier to look at an art piece rather than look at the real person behind it, but we want to challenge that separation.

Inspired by Marina Abramović, we invite visitors to sit at our table and share in a space of discomfort and connection. Many choose to gaze through the window at a distance rather than enter the home itself; thus, avoiding the intimacy of sitting closely with the artist and their reality. In the calmness of observing people and engaging in conversation, we hope to question our perceived realities and understand true, authentic experiences. Our goal is to humanize experiences depicted through art to remind us that empathy, understanding, and change begin when we see not just the work, but the reality of the person who made it.