Britannia Bares All
The majestic pose for this piece demanded painting.The flame- haired goddess tilts back to give her followers the best view she can manage in a gesture of unashamed pride. It is a powerful, dramatic statement that also has a good dash of sensuality with a real classical treatment but a contemporary feel. It is a powerful comment on the lengths some members of our society will go to, to gain attention and followers in the ‘look at me’ culture they are immersed in. It carries a warning that social media showboating creates only an illusion of popularity.There is no intimacy or substance in these online transactions, just the dubious pleasure of having one’s ego fed and later starved to be fed again, in a cycle of need and satisfaction that will never be a substitute for real self-worth. The light background complements the dark backdrop of the other two ‘flag pieces’.These three Union Jack pieces form of a sort of triptych and develop the idea and character in this theme. I wanted the technical aspects of this painting and the whole quality of the piece to be imposing, as if it could hang in a museum.The warm flesh tones, anatomy, her expression and the movement and weight of the flag itself make this a dramatic statement.
Oil on Canvas | 97cm x 122cm
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