Artist Joseph Jones has a gift for magnifying subjects often overlooked, wielding sentimentality to create portraiture that’s intimate, sweet, and very catty. For Eva Victor’s much-talked about debut feature Sorry, Baby, A24 commissioned Jones to do a limited-edition print inspired by the film. His upcoming solo exhibition opens at Chapter NY in New York on 9 January, 2026. Jones stopped by to give us the exclusive.
What was your process in developing the imagery?
Fortunately, I’m sent images of cats almost every day—by other artists, friends, and even people I’ve never met. It really helps to develop the images I use. These are the kinds of photos millions of people take and share daily—around 3.5 million a day, apparently! Over the years, I’ve built up a huge archive of around 40 to 50 thousand images gathered from social media, newspapers, books, and online forums. I’m constantly digging through it—it’s a bit chaotic.
When choosing what to paint, it’s usually a mix. I rarely work from a single photograph. Instead, I build composite images, taking elements from different sources and piecing them together. So while the subjects are real, the final paintings exist in a slightly in-between space.
Do you have cats? Why are cats an ideal muse?
We don’t have a cat at the moment. I live with my partner, the artist Poppy Jones, who’s more of a dog person. But I’ve been looking for two Angora cats—one white and one black—so hopefully I’ll have cats again soon.
As for why cats make ideal muses, I think it’s their gaze and their demeanour. You never really know what they’re thinking—they don’t give much away. For my forthcoming exhibition at Chapter NY, I’ve been reflecting on how we connect with cats emotionally and culturally, especially at a time when we can choose to be constantly surrounded by them, both in real life and online.
Is there anything people get fundamentally wrong about cats and cat lovers?
Yes. I think there are a lot of lazy assumptions about cat owners and cat lovers, often rooted in stereotypes that portray them as isolated, eccentric, or socially awkward.
I love the way Sorry, Baby presents the kitten as a symbol of comfort and resilience for Eva Victor’s character, Agnes. The film’s narrative really resonated with me and with my own reflections on care and companionship. I chose to paint a scene in which the kitten acts as a quiet witness to Agnes’s experience, inviting viewers to think about companionship and empathy in everyday life.