The Collector and The Artist
This ballpoint pen self portrait, drawn on collaged pages of R H Wilenski’s ‘The Modern Movement in Art’ (1927), was created during a residency at Pallant House Gallery in 2023 whilst investigating the drives of art collectors.
Historically and in a modern sense, the acquisition of artworks may cynically be seen as an ostentatious display of wealth or status. When collectors spend their money to acquire my works, perhaps somewhat naively, I believe that occurs when there is a profound resonance with the work, as opposed to a want to occupy wall space in their home. The portraits I produce are deeply personal and sentimental to me, they are not made to look beautiful on a wall in someone’s home, they depict a narrative informed by a need to represent people of colour - people that look like me, which is something I did not see much of art galleries when I grew up.
841X594mm