Sweet Venus
The platform for this piece is the wonderful ‘Rokeby Venus’ by DiegoVelázquez (1599-1660), a Spanish painter of the contemporary Baroque period. Commenting on our social media craze of ‘look at me’ narcissism, my Venus is far more self- conscious and camera hungry. She bares her tattooed body with grace but also a yearning for attention and admiration. She is a modern Venus, prey to the vanity of Instagram and selfie culture which has her unabashedly posing with a Coke can and a pair of Christian Louboutins.The cherub is also adorned with a Dolce & Gabbana arm clasp so she is not alone in her advertising of designer labels. The colours and mood of this piece are very carefully considered.While this is a stark image of self-pride
and vanity, there is no reason to treat it with disdain. Instead, she is celebrated; surrounded by warm hues and textures that all balance against one another from the rich red of the curtains and the sumptuous, burnt orange of the cushion, to the cooler Louis Vuitton embossed bed linen and pastel shades of the graffiti. She looks quite French to me, especially with her beautifully coiled updo. She is her own muse and welcomes the modern world with all of its consumer insanity. I wanted this painting to express a heady mixture of superficiality and old master weight.
Oil on Canvas | 101cm x 86cm
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker