Fighting with Picasso (2022) – Oil painting on canvas – 90cm x 30cm
I painted this piece as part of a series called “Fighting with my Heroes” which explores male insecurity, inferiority and machoism.
You could say that I am squaring up to Picasso as a pair of heavyweight boxers would before a prize fight. However, I also see it as lovingly staring into his eyes in admiration and him staring back at me, losing each other in our gaze.
As Picasso once said “Everything you can imagine is real” and it felt real to be staring at Picasso, as if I were staring at him in reality, which sounds odd of course, but I feel that Picasso really knew the power of imagination and this piece is tapping into that concept.
I’m hoping it reveals a caring, sensitive, thought-provoking side as an artist, who also has a sense of humour and isn’t afraid to laugh at himself.
