Libby Haines in the studio. Photograph courtesy of the artist. As a host, the success of a long lunch or dinner party can often be gauged by the number of photos of your tablescape that end up on Instagram stories. Arguably, how the food looks — arranged on squiggly linen table mats and not-too-melted candles — is just as important as how the food tastes. For most of us, these shots live on social media for a 24-hour period (with a few lucky ones making it to the grid), but the Melbourne-based painter Libby Haines transforms them into large-scale works of art.
“I mostly work from photos taken on my phone which I then elaborate on, or reimagine — exaggerating elements and taking others out,” Haines tells T Australia.
Renowned for her vibrant, textural paintings centred on food and drink, Haines’s work celebrates the sometimes chaotic and always memorable nature of shared dining experiences.
“I like the notion of capturing a moment in time and presenting it in all its messy glory — like there are people just loitering on the outskirts of the painting or slightly reaching in,” she says.
Her new exhibition showing at a-n studio in Fitzroy, Melbourne this month, features delectable elements that have appeared in her previous works—such as trays of oysters and olive martinis—while also introducing playful new motifs like toy cars and infant hands, nodding to her nearest and dearest.
“I have two children and when I host I’m always navigating around them to pull it all together,” Haines says.
“There are always stray toys and spills and mess and little hands wanting to taste test everything — and I like to have a hint of my children in all of my exhibitions.”
Her latest body of work is titled “Table Manners,” though very few can be spotted across the 14 individual pieces. The canvases are richly layered with thick oil paint, resulting in an almost sculptural effect. While each work tells its own story, together they weave a narrative of the night, from “cocktail making” to “the last sip.”
When Haines was asked to reflect on her favourite piece, she shared it was “Leftovers on the Bench”. “Because it took so long and was the final piece, I have a real soft spot for it,” she adds.
This sentiment coincidentally mirrors the subject of the painting itself: food at a dinner party can often be overlooked in the moment but is only truly appreciated at the end of a long evening.
“Table Manners” holds importance beyond the memories it preserves. Ten percent of the profits made from the exhibition will be donated to Palestine Australia Relief and Action (PARA), a non-profit charity dedicated to helping Palestinian migrants and refugees settle in Australia.
“I believe wholeheartedly in the importance of speaking out against injustice and genocide, and using your privilege to give back to the community—especially when our government continues to fail us and the people of Palestine,” she says.
Giving back is a central element of Haines’s artistic practice, a commitment reflected in her past three solo shows.
“Table Manners” is showing at a-n studio, 415 Brunswick Street, Ngár-go, Naarm, on Saturday 14—Sunday 15 of September, with prints available to purchase online from Saturday 14 September 2024.
