The anonymous figures in Doe’s paintings inhabit liminal spaces that appear at once familiar and parallel: seemingly plucked from dreams and locked in devotional reveries these characters compel us to question what they are evolving into and what remnants of humanity they still hold onto. The saturation of information; disparate objects, doubles, fragmented mutating limbs pay heed to the confusion—adding to the uncanny atmosphere that pervades Doe’s art.

Surveying the work, it becomes apparent there is a striking absence of ears—possibly a visual metaphor for the loss of tranquillity and the disappearance of the ‘gift of listening’? As our world becomes increasingly dominated by hyperactivity and constant stimulation, the deep, contemplative attention required for true listening has become inaccessible. This absence serves as a poignant reminder of what we lose as we surrender to the demands of the hyperactive ego and the relentless pace of modern life.

As we navigate these bizarre and beautiful realms, we cling to fragments of our history and humanity, even as they slip into an anachronistic, transformed, hyperrealistic world.

Yiren Shen is an independent curator based in Oxford. Their work has been published by Artnet, Artreview, art now,  Fad Magazine and more.