`Paula Regos’ piece, Untitled number 4 : Observation 4

This piece is a near square shaped image without a border. This piece is organised into three sections: two lines of neutral grey and brown (ceiling and floor), and a dark black distressed sofa sits in the middle. There is a visible rough texture to the surrounding colours. The marks are grainy and the colour a mix of unblended warm yellow-brown tones. The top highlights on the sofa are light grey, wide and faded. The seat cushions dip down in the middle, well worn and weak. Below the cushions there's evidence of fraying and ageing. The colouring of the sofa has progressed from flat, dark black to a mix of greys and browns; the cushion creased with the added pressure, highlights emphasising a light source that isn’t visible.

The simplicity of the colours combined with the minimalistic background are not the primary focus however, the harsh texture creates an aged finish. None of the scenery is new, this is a potential link to poverty and non-material priorities. Instead, the lighter surrounding colours draw attention to the sofa as they are contrasting, light against dark. The use of dark colours for the sofa causes the woman to appear washed out, her overall pale complexion is also impacted by the lighting.