Hannah Murray uses traditional techniques and contemporary narratives to create paintings that are both alluring and illusionistic. The women in her paintings are captivating and possess a sense of power which radiates from their bodies onto to the world around them. Her female figures are women who can confidently embody the strength of their own beauty rather than relying on the adulation of men. In The Couch, the female subject stares fixedly out into the room while lounging on a modern sofa; limbs spread out, filling up the space. Meanwhile, the male figure, perched on the back of the couch, minimizing the space he takes up, gazes tentatively down at her as if he is waiting for her to make the next move.