Borrowing an idea from Adrian Ghenie, the “Self-portrait as…” series is an attempt to get inside the heads of some of the artists and others who have influenced and inspired my own creative practice. I have also used this as an opportunity to develop my painting language. Each of these is oil on Canon Double Matte 145 micron film and measures 29x40cm or 43x53cm framed.
Self-portrait as Francis Bacon 1.
Clearly Francis Bacon has been a central influence in my work, and like Bacon, I tend to think and make work in “series” exploring a particular enquiry.
Self-portrait as Elise Ormerod.
Elise is a close friend and influencer, and recent creative collaborator. This was painted working from the digital embodiment of Elise.
Self-portrait as Orlan 1.
With a career spanning over 5 decades, pre-eminent French artist Orlan has been working across media, including her own body, on what she calls ‘Carnal Art’. In the ‘90s, Orlan tackled ideal standards of beauty as promoted in Western cultures and art history, which has been a starting point for much of my practice which aims to celebrate the bodies of real people.
Self-portrait as Francis Bacon 2.
Self-portrait as Orlan 2.
Self-portrait as Henry Moore.
Whilst Henry Moore’s “Helmet Heads” have previously inspired some of my paintings and also the digital works “Specimens“, this particular painting was inspired by the large outdoor sculptures at the Henry Moore Foundation at Much Hadham.
Self-portrait as Orlan 3.
Self-portrait as David Altmejd.
David is a Canadian sculptor whose figurative work often disrupts the distinction between interior and exterior, surface and structure. These themes keep bouncing around my own practice and so I often dip into David’s exhibitions at the White Cube for a viscerally creative recharge.
Self-portrait as Goya.
Goya’s Black Paintings, which I saw in the Prado, Madrid, have long resonated with my psyche. However his painting of Tio Paquete from the same period, captured with realism and kindness shows his passion for working with real people from life – something I share.
Self-portrait as Adrian Ghenie 1.
Although the idea for this series came from Adrian Ghenie’s “self-portraits”, his main influence on my work is his use of paint. Upon seeing his paintings for the first time, I realised these were where I had been trying to reach with my own work.
Self-portrait as Robert Taylor.
Robert and I have collaborated on a number of projects, from Fugita which was displayed in the chapel at Brompton Cemetery to the Black and White series exploring the similarities and differences of being in skins of different colour. Robert’s own creative and portrait photography is included in the V&A and National Portrait Gallery in addition to other institutions.
Self-portrait as AnthroMorph.
Inspired by posthuman and cyborg theory, with the use of silicone exoskeletons, Anthr0morph’s visual language aims to abstract the body and re-present it as human hybrids. These echo some of my work with Klein-bodies and transhumanist themes.
Self-portrait as Adrian Ghenie 2.
Self-portrait as Max Ernst.
Max Ernst is a source of multiple influences. From the surreal forests and birds, to the Angel of Hearth and Home, his compositions re-surface from time to time. In addition I have adopted his use of decalcomania in several paintings – see Henry Moore, Orlan 3, David Altmejd and Goya above.