Timothy Lai’s paintings are colorful, warm, and fluid, yet there is a certain heaviness and tension in the worlds he creates that leave the viewer ill at ease. This balancing act exists too in the subject matter of many of his works which capture moments caught between conflict and resolution. Frequently set in the domestic sphere, these scenes deal with familial tensions derived from scenarios in the artist’s own life as a child navigating both his Chinese and Mexican heritage, his Catholic upbringing, and his bi-racial identity. In To Observe Opposing Walls, we see two standing figures, presumably parents, staring down at a puddle of two tangled bodies which squirm on the floor between them. These contorted figures lay in the looming shadow of a large, ovular mirror--their presence demanding attention as an uncomfortable reminder of painful memories. The mirror overlooks the scene reflecting portions of the room so that it acts like a portal--a way to transport us, and the artist, back in time to this moment.