Justin Liam O’Brien’s figurative paintings capture intimate social interactions, where tender physical touches are contrasted by an undercurrent of loneliness and ennui. His predominantly male subjects are rendered as soft-edged figures within meticulously composed tableaux, a style influenced by his background in digital arts and 3D animation. Exhibiting extensively in New York City, O’Brien’s work reflects the pervasive sense of social isolation both within the city and globally. Drawing from his personal experiences as a queer millennial navigating an era of heightened anxiety, his narratives resonate with universal themes of vulnerability and disconnection. Each quiet, tension-filled moment is imbued with pathos, exploring internalized struggles with inadequacy, self-doubt, and powerlessness—emotions that linger beneath the surface of everyday interactions.