Phonescapes.

In the digital age, over 90 per cent of photographs are captured using phone cameras. The majority of these images are seldom revisited. Once taken, they are swiftly uploaded to social media feeds or stories, only to fade into obscurity.

The small paintings presented here are all derived from photographs submitted to this project by Jérémie Queyras’ social media followers — images that, under ordinary circumstances, would likely never have been seen in this constellation. Transformed into paintings, however, they are granted a second life; the act of painting them demands deliberate attention to the image.

As tangible objects, these works will continue to engage viewers, exhibition-goers, and collectors alike. Here, the viewer can take an image out of its social media bubble and take it home as a physical object. This endeavour prompts reflection on the intentionality behind the ubiquitous act of capturing our lives and surroundings. Seeing paintings presented in a typical photograph format makes the viewer question the role of painting in the 21st century.