The Bath 

Michael Parkes' painting 'The Bath' presents a surreal scene rendered with meticulous detail and a subdued palette. The composition centers on a nude woman in a bathtub attended by a mysterious, blindfolded figure. This juxtaposition of classical form and bizarre imagery evokes a dreamlike atmosphere. Parkes destabilizes established meanings through his integration of fantastical elements. The tub itself, with its human face and animalistic feet, challenges conventional objecthood. This blending of human, animal, and inanimate forms creates a sense of ontological uncertainty, questioning the boundaries of identity and being. The smooth gradations of color and the precise lines contribute to a hyperrealistic effect, yet this realism is subverted by the irrational nature of the scene. The formal tension between detailed representation and surreal content underscores the painting's engagement with themes of perception, illusion, and the fluidity of reality, inviting ongoing interpretation.