Was it a hallucination or was it real life by Faye Moorhouse reflects the artist’s ongoing exploration of the strange, darkly humorous narratives that emerge from everyday experience. Moorhouse’s practice often draws on personal memories and observations, transforming moments of vulnerability, absurdity, and anxiety into vividly imagined scenes populated by humans and animals.

In this work, Moorhouse turns to an intensely personal experience from early motherhood. The painting depicts a sleep-deprived, hallucinatory state in which she became convinced that her dog might eat her baby. While rooted in a specific memory, the image extends beyond autobiography, capturing the irrational fears and distorted perceptions that can arise through exhaustion and heightened emotional states.

Hovering between reality and imagination, the work occupies a space where the ordinary becomes uncanny and the boundaries between genuine experience and hallucination begin to dissolve. Through her characteristic blend of humour and unease, Moorhouse transforms a fleeting private anxiety into a scene that feels both unsettling and strangely familiar.

The result is a painting that balances tenderness with absurdity, inviting viewers to reflect on the unpredictable nature of thought and the peculiar ways the mind can reshape reality.