MEY is pleased to present In The Company of Solitude, a solo exhibition of work by Chicago-based artist Thérèse Mulgrew. Following a day in the life of a young woman, the presented paintings explore how the quest for companionship can ultimately lead one to savor the solitude of their own company.

Inspired by an essay written by the artist over the course of 24 hours, the featured paintings reflect her sentiment that at times, “there is a feeling of loneliness even in the presence of others.” Featuring a man and woman in three main settings—a bedroom, kitchen table, and pool hall—the paintings may invite viewers to look intimately at these characters, but they never divulge exactly what the relationship between them is. Journeying from morning through evening, the paintings maintain a deeply cinematic atmosphere while oscillating between the artist’s signature warm hues and cooler tones. Paintings such as Morning Journal and Breakfast capture the cool solace of an early morning spent alone, while pieces such as Late Night and Late Night II exude the warm intimacy of an evening embrace. 

Embodying the painterly prowess of the great figurative artists that came before her, Thérèse imbues classic portraiture with a notably contemporary feel. Punctuated with universally recognizable devices like a half-drinken cup of coffee, an unlit cigarette, or a burning candle, In The Company of Solitude features quotidian objects lingering in suspended moments of action. Thérèse explains: “Though I tend to paint mostly friends and family, both the still lifes and portraits feel like autobiographical extensions of myself and my relationships.” While inherently present and personal, her paintings are devoid of explicit signifiers of time or place—thereby possessing a timeless tenderness. Together, the paintings of In The Company of Solitude visualize the spectrum of sensations inherent to the pursuit of love: the thrill of connection, the fear of vulnerability, and the ultimate magic of returning home to oneself.