Very honoured to be part of this years Lester Art Prize. I’m quite thrilled to be amongst a body of such quality work. Much deserved congratulations to all the artists in the show and of course, the winners. Gratitude to a dear friend from Perth, who visited the show and took a short video of the work.
Title: Self Portrait with Willow (you’re hiding something)
Mixed Medium on 600gram cold press watercolour paper
In this self portrait study, random and intentional layering, scrubbing and rubbing back, reveals previous layers and marks.
The ‘interrogation’ takes place, destabilising the figure through partial distortion in an attempt to reveal a point of sensation between consciousness and the concealed.
For me, any portrait, including my own, is about revealing something that is not obvious in the sitters known character. But also, it’s about pushing the process of mark marking, both consciously and subconsciously to a point where the innate and impelling impulse of the work is revealed. The willow stick carries the venerability of such explorations.
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