Interior Motives - at Hauser and Wirth

Interior Motives brings together three distinct artistic voices, Koak, Ding Shilun, and Cece Philips, to examine the interior as both architectural reality and psychological landscape. Through painting, each artist investigates how domestic spaces shape identity, memory, and emotion, offering nuanced perspectives on belonging and introspection.

Koak reimagines art historical depictions of women in domestic settings, using a vibrant, graphic style influenced by Japanese and European animation. Her figures inhabit dreamlike interiors where windows, vases, and soft furnishings become symbols of agency and liberation, challenging traditional gender roles through a contemporary female gaze.

Ding Shilun builds imaginary worlds populated by avatars of himself, blending Japanese manga and traditional Chinese painting with mythological elements. His use of everyday objects invites viewers into absurd, emotionally charged narratives that reflect global events and personal introspection, blurring the lines between reality and fantasy.

Cece Philips draws from the Dutch Golden Age and Félix Vallotton, using architectural elements like doorways and radiant light to frame intimate, narrative-rich scenes. Her work encourages the viewer to project their own stories onto canvases where color and composition reveal the psychological depths of both subject and observer.

Produced in collaboration with Union Pacific and Bernheim Gallery, this exhibition underscores Hauser & Wirth’s commitment to emerging artists and a sustainable arts ecosystem. A profound meditation on how spaces live within us, and we within them.

Venue details