The First Solo Show, 2009
This first series of paintings are all self-portraits in which I re-enact poses and embody characters taken from works familiar to me from my daily walks throughout central London's museums.
Through this daily meditation I reflected on how the passage of time often robs the subject of its context, leaving a peculiar shell upon which we base our understanding of the sitter - while the artist and his subject may wish to impose upon us a sense of importance or authority, often what remains is something of a caricature.
The process of assuming these roles, and attempting to embody this intended projection, exaggerates the original intent further, magnifying its absurdity. This is compounded by the irreverent way in which I chose to recreate the various costumes, often from found and recycled materials, such as plastic bags or tea towels.
