Washline, Little Bridge 1989

John Bratby's "Washline, Little Bridge" is a painting that captures a moment in time through a lens of domesticity and urban landscape. Bratby emerged during a period of British art that grappled with post-war realities and a shift towards more raw and personal expressions. Here, he juxtaposes the intimate act of laundry with the imposing architecture of a city, perhaps reflecting on the intersection of private lives within public spaces. The wash line, traditionally a symbol of women's work, is set against the backdrop of a bridge and buildings. The painting invites us to consider the many roles, often invisible, that women play. There's an emotional tension here too, between the mundane and the monumental, the personal and the public, as Bratby asks us to consider what is revealed, or concealed, within the ordinary.