Family Home 1988

Howard Arkley painted this work, titled 'Family Home', using acrylic on canvas, capturing the essence of suburban life. The house itself, rendered in bold, flat colors and outlined in stark black, becomes a dominant symbol. Houses, throughout history and across cultures, have represented not just shelter, but also family, security, and identity. Think of the hearth as the center of Roman homes, or the symbolism embedded in the architecture of Gothic cathedrals. Arkley distills this primal symbol to its most basic form. The vibrant, almost hallucinatory colors, however, disrupt any sense of simple domesticity. This is no ordinary home, but a hyper-real vision, perhaps reflecting the psychological weight we project onto our living spaces. The garish palette could be interpreted as a cultural marker of the late 20th century, mirroring the rise of consumerism and the pervasive influence of media. The image evokes an emotional response—a sense of both familiarity and unease. It speaks to the complex relationship between our idealized vision of home and the often-jarring reality of modern life. This symbol, ever-present and continually reshaped, remains a potent force in our collective consciousness.