Chee Baoping, Family Time
Consider how digital distractions reshape connections, presence, attention and the meaning of togetherness today.
Chee Baoping, Family Time, oil on canvas
This artwork reflects the quiet shift in family time within a technology-driven world. Though physically together, each figure is absorbed by their own screens, revealing emotional distance. It questions how digital distractions reshape connections, urging viewers to reconsider presence, attention, and the meaning of togetherness today.
See and Wonder:
Look at the foreground figure on the right. An eye is detached and a heart is attached to the phone. Is the phone a part of her body or is it a parasite?
On the left panel, a family photo is pixelated. What do you think the artist is saying about our digital memories?
Activity:
Design a “Phone Jail” for your family to use during meal times. Write down one question you would ask your family members that cannot be answered by a Google search.