Night House

The blue hour is a period of twilight when the first (or last) vestiges of sunlight cast the world in a rich, cobalt hue. It’s the time of day around which bats swoop and myriad other critters either begin to emerge or head to their nests and dens. And although not as revered by photographers as the golden hours, when the sun finally crests the horizon and casts everything in a warm glow, it nevertheless possesses an aura of both promise and calm, as if the world is just waking up—but only just—or nighttime has nearly fully arrived. For Becky Suss, blue is a filter through which to revisit memories and examine the complexities of interiority.

The Philadelphia-based artist’s solo exhibition Night House at Jack Shainman Gallery invokes domestic rooms and exteriors just barely illuminated, whether by the just-set sun or moonlight. The illumination is just enough to see by. “Suffused with the kind of specificity of detail that comes from the act of remembrance, Suss’ paintings reclaim the night not only as a time of reflection, but as one where perception deepens and self-knowledge can be pursued,” the gallery says.

Suss considers how differently space is perceived when daylight disappears, such as the way shapes in a garden become silhouettes complemented by deep shadows and wallpaper patterns sprawl almost amorphously, as if nature has been transfigured onto two-dimensional surfaces. Only being able to see so far means that rooms and small areas with boundaries we understand clearly during the day feel strangely expansive.

Devoid of people, Suss’ works proffer traces of anonymous lives and hints of their daily routines or interests, tinged with nostalgia. Interior spaces, especially those traditionally occupied by women, have long been a source of interest for the artist as she renders meticulously detailed domestic rooms and each one’s distinctive arrangement of objects and furniture. She occasionally paints portraits of specific books, such as The Hobbit, and draws our attention to quilts, mirrors, rugs, bookshelves, and lamps.

The works in Night House are bathed in the thinnest light, where textile patterns, a garden, and the view through windows evoke the quietude of the wee hours. “Suss’ rendering of trees, foliage, snow, and ice are echoed by the patterned wallpaper that defines so many rooms and hallways, subtly linking the cultivated interiors with the living world outside,” the gallery says.

See more on Suss’ Instagram. ✧

All images © Becky Suss, courtesy of the artist and Jack Shainman Gallery, New York. Photos by Dan Bradica Studio.