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The Two Phone Calls
Contemporary Narratives
About This Work
This intriguing oil painting features two colleagues engaged in separate phone calls, viewed through a window perspective.
The composition creates a layered narrative where the viewer stands at one window, observing the two figures through
another window in a building across the way. The red window frame adds a dramatic element to the scene. The faces are
carefully rendered with simple but expressive strokes that tell the story through subtle expressions and body language.
There is a striking contrast between the detailed indoor interior and the plain roof visible outside the windows where
the figures look out. The painting raises questions about the nature of these conversations—are they work-related or
personal? One figure appears concerned while the other seems excited, their contrasting poses creating visual tension.
The work contains a secret encrypted message (hints: hidden in plain sight) that, when decoded, reveals hidden insights
about the workplace environment where the artist spent significant time.
Technique & Process
Painted in oil on canvas using traditional techniques with contemporary subject matter. The artist employed careful
composition to create the illusion of looking through multiple windows, using perspective and framing to guide the
viewer's eye. The red window frame serves as both a compositional element and a symbolic device. Oil painting techniques
were used to build up layers of paint, creating depth and texture. The faces are rendered with deliberate simplicity—
just enough detail to convey emotion and narrative through minimal but precise strokes. The painting creates a striking
contrast between the richly detailed indoor interior and the simplified, plain roof visible through the windows,
emphasizing the focus on the figures and their interactions. The encrypted message is subtly woven into the visual
elements of the painting, requiring careful observation to discover and decode.
Inspiration & Context
This work explores the complexity of modern workplace communication and the hidden narratives that exist beneath
surface interactions. The artist draws from personal experience in a particular workplace environment, using the
encrypted message as a way to embed deeper meaning about that specific context. The painting examines themes of
observation, privacy, and the way we interpret others' conversations and emotions. The dual window perspective
creates a sense of voyeurism and distance, reflecting on how we often observe others' lives from our own vantage
points without full understanding of their circumstances.
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