Wall Lamp 1994

Patrick Caulfield's 'Wall Lamp' is a masterclass in simplification, where he's broken down a familiar object into a striking arrangement of flat planes and shadows. You can almost feel the artist's hand as he meticulously filled each shape, creating a tension between representation and abstraction. It's like Caulfield is inviting us to see the world not as it is, but as a series of bold graphic statements. I wonder if he imagined the lamp's cool light filtering through a dark London street. What I find amazing is the conversation Caulfield is having with earlier pop artists, taking their love for the everyday object and injecting it with a kind of formalist rigor. He’s in dialogue with the likes of Ellsworth Kelly too. I think there’s an ongoing exchange between artists across time, all of us riffing off each other's ideas and visions. It's less about nailing down one truth and more about celebrating the endless possibilities of seeing.