Emily Cate Sabree
NOPE, 2025
Oil on canvas
15x30 inches

Rendered realistically in oil paint on canvas, NOPE turns party balloons into a bold declaration. A wink, a smile, and a boundary all at once, NOPE balances humor with quiet resistance. The smiling, winking “O”suggests levity, but the word itself reads as a firm boundary. It is playful on the surface but resolute underneath. NOPE is shiny, cheerful, and absolutely not backing down. Referencing emotionalperformance and the visual language of celebration and commerce, the work invites viewers to considerrefusal as an act of clarity and power without sacrificing joy.