Refrigerator 1977

Alex Colville has captured, with meticulous detail, a domestic scene that is both familiar and unsettling. At its heart, the open refrigerator door serves as a portal to our subconscious, a source of nourishment but also of hidden anxieties. Consider the act of drinking from a glass, a symbol of purity and replenishment. We can trace the motif back through centuries of art and ritual, from ancient Greek libations to Christian sacraments. Yet here, the starkness of the scene casts a shadow over this simple act, suggesting a deeper, perhaps unacknowledged, thirst. The cats, those ancient symbols of domesticity and mystery, further complicate the narrative. The human figure, presented in its unadorned state, evokes a vulnerability that resonates on a primal level. This image connects to our collective memory, reminding us of the fragility and impermanence of human existence. The cyclical nature of sustenance, desire, and vulnerability, is a powerful force engaging viewers on a subconscious level. This primal scene resurfaces, evolves, and takes on new meanings in our contemporary context.