Britannia So Proud
The very first Union Jack piece in the series, this really kick-started the whole collection.To create a piece with all the treatment and finesse of a classical painting, but with some symbol of contemporary life, was the goal for this project.What speaks louder in encapsulating the era of social media and its irresistible hold over its almost 3 billion users worldwide than the ubiquitous selfie? The phenomenon of the selfie has proved to be invincible in its continuing proliferation and evolution through selfie sticks and the unbounded intimacy of its subjects. Privacy seems to be very rarely relevant in these attention-seeking, follower-dependent times. The lady posing for her fans (one would hope that Britannia has many) cannot exclude herself from the new public demand; that is, the same people who want to look up to you also want you knocked off your pedestal.This is the payoff; act like their friend or you may receive a thumbs down or, worse yet, you will be unfollowed! She understands the changing times, and Britannia graciously gives her adoring followers what they want.
The technical demands of this painting are always a huge aspect of creating a coherent, atmospheric image that can work without the full story behind it. The narrative is there but, as an artist, you want it to work without being reliant on a full explanation, leaving the fuller analysis a bonus, to help and enrich the painting for the viewer. If you are familiar with the Columbia Pictures woman holding the torch aloft, you will get an idea of how this informed the appearance of my Britannia. I could only speculate how her hair was styled at the back but you could see her hair was either short or pulled into an updo. I simply imagined how I wanted it to look and painted it. The lighting and how it highlights the surface of her shoulders, knee, and Union Jack all has a rhythm. Even if a subject is still, there can still be movement.
Oil on Canvas | 112cm x 86cm
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