Joe Hargan

familiar black‑and‑white chequered floor anchors the scene in Hargan’s characteristic blend of elegance and absurdity.

At the centre, a bather reclines in a freestanding tub, their steady, unbothered presence acting as a counterweight to the surrounding eccentricities. A white cat balances on the bath’s rim, its alert posture adding a note of quiet complicity.

On the plinth stands Sniffy — the world's greatest art critic — delivering a bottle and glass with ceremonial flourish. Sniffy’s deadpan formality, perched above the action, injects the painting with the dry humour and social observation that define Hargan’s practice.

The result is a scene that feels both theatrical and intimate: a carefully choreographed moment where ritual, luxury and gentle satire coexist. Hargan’s command of colour, composition and character turns the everyday into something knowingly extravagant, inviting the viewer to enjoy the spectacle without sentimentality.