Looking for something?

Tap outside or press close

WorkArt & Culture

Peter Harris paints empty waiting rooms and hallways with reconstructed famous artworks on the walls

Peter Harris has become renowned for his paintings of interiors at night; empty scenes that also feature famous artworks hanging on the walls.

Written By:
Minimalist airport or transit corridor with pale walls, a central staircase with turquoise window above, two framed artworks on side walls, and metallic lift doors

The Canadian artist's Evening with Hopper series, for instance, includes paintings of buildings as though you were stood on the pavement outside and looking into brightly-lit interiors where reconstructed paintings by Hopper are hung on the walls.

Now he's back with Undisclosed Locations where he steps inside brightly-lit interiors: lobbies, vestibules, waiting rooms, passageways, and stairways, areas that are intended for temporary occupancy, measured in minutes or seconds, as we pass through to our intended destination. The focus is on these anonymous environments as they are simultaneously familiar, yet untraceable to any one part of the world. They could literally be anywhere.

And following his usual theme, if you look closely enough, you'll spot well-known artworks hung on the walls, creating interactions between the content of the artworks and the architecture itself. The historical paintings on display are often landscapes, still-lifes, or abstracts. Paintings by Hopper, Mondrian, Morandi, Rothko et al are featured, each having in common an artists’ ability to communicate an entire worldview in one image. Discover more of his intriguing work at peterharris.ca.

Undisclosed Locations is on display at Galerie D'Este in Montréal from 8 March until 1 April. Find out more at www.galeriedeste.com.

Empty modern corridor with polished floor, blue directional lines, metal lift doors and teal wall panels with a reconstructed artwork hanging above
A modern, minimalist lobby with beige walls, orange vertical stripes, a central lift with bronze doors, and recessed ceiling lights creating an empty, institutional space
Underground car park with brightly lit cream and orange walls, red abstract artwork, numbered pillars and grey doors, viewed at night through glass windows
Minimalist interior of a brightly lit stairwell with turquoise and white walls, featuring geometric artworks on the walls and a gridded ceiling
Modern train station corridor with two metal elevator doors, white tiled walls, an orange-red abstract painting on the left, and stairs visible on the right
View through lift doors into a minimalist waiting room with three burgundy seats and a small framed artwork on the wall
Modern airport or transit waiting area with blue seating, a metallic bin, and three artworks featuring horses displayed on the grey wall above
Modern lift lobby with pale green walls, yellow-trimmed counter, stainless steel doors and illuminated floor indicator panels above
Share

Further Reading