Fionn Wilson

Painting self portraits is really important to me. There’s a simple reason for painting self portraits ― I’m available to study, look at and explore on demand. I remember being told painting self portraits was a form of vanity. To me, vanity doesn’t come into it at all, in fact it’s the opposite. I find that painting self portraits also frees me from the concern of capturing a likeness. I can be as unsympathetic as I like. The whole process of painting can, to me, often feel like having one long argument with the self, involving an intense and reflective self scrutiny. To me, self portraiture allows this discussion to be played out, and essentially left unresolved.

I can single out the self portraits of Van Gogh, Munch and Modersohn-Becker as having an influence on my work. Seeing the self portraits at the ‘Rembrant: the Late Works’ exhibition at the National Gallery in 2014 had a profound effect on my feelings and ideas about painting.

The painting below has been left unfinished. The artist Conrad Mecheski (who sadly passed away in 2014 and whose work I admire) suggested I leave it just as it is. So, I’ve listened to him.

More about Conrad Mecheski here:
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/in-memoriam-conrad-meches_b_5373419

#painting #selfportrait #unfinished #unfinishedpainting #conradmecheski