Although Yiadom-Boakye renders the features of her subject with the precision of a portraitist, the subject is, in fact, wholly of her invention. Found images, historical paintings, memories, and literature serve as inspiration for her fictional characters whom she depicts in their own private worlds, at a remove from any specific time or place. Here, the figure’s luxurious red dressing gown and white slippers suggest an intimate setting, but the dark background disallows such projections. The artist has said that this deliberate ambiguity creates a “world of infinite possibilities . . . unconstrained by the nightmare fantasies of others,” inviting viewers to reflect on the history of representation in art. Gallery label for installation of YCBA collection, 2025