A study into gay masculinity led me from pillar to post around the subject of sex. The deepest and most natural needs each individual holds within them are consciously hidden; “Self” expresses the natural desires of people, by confronting the viewer with a bold and active pose. Francis Bacon’s archetypal blurred faces, extracts the physical identity of the subjects without removing personality. This forming the foundation of “Self”, I continued to push the idea further by thrusting the body towards the viewer: in a similar manner to Jenny Seville’s earlier work.
The choice of removing the penis, in my opinion, avoids the sense of invasion that could come with the character: pulling the piece away from the realms of being too brazen. Instead, a sense of liberation follows through within the work, carrying much needed confidence and assertion. With “Self” being a stepping-stone over the Mississippi river in terms of understanding and exploration, elements continue to conflict with my personal and developing outlook; yet I feel it stands well as an individual outcome.
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