Day Bed c. 1953

Irene Malawicz made this ‘Day Bed’ drawing, we’re not sure when, but it’s on paper with what looks like pencil and watercolor. I’m struck by the colour scheme, how the muted green of the cushions sings against the warm brown woodwork, it feels very serene. You can almost feel the texture of the fabric, it’s like a well loved antique. The painting is precise, almost architectural, and yet the artist has allowed the colours to bleed and blend a little. Look closely, and you can see faint pencil lines underneath. This is not a photorealist exercise, it's about the process. The little join at the base of one of the legs is particularly lovely, with tiny ticks of paint that give a sense of volume, but also lightness. Malawicz reminds me of someone like Agnes Martin, in the quiet precision and the way she finds transcendence through these everyday objects. The day bed is, after all, a place of rest and reverie, somewhere to get lost in thought.