Dürer, da Vinci, Rembrandt, Man Ray, Vivien Maier, and Condo, many more took advantage of what was closest, beguiling us with their self-depictions. Representations can be drawn, painted, photographed, or sculpted in traditional and contemporary modes.
Warren King’s recent gushing ‘Self Portrait in Black’ with its moody uncanny appearance, captivates and expresses King’s state of mind. His striking pictorial practice is influenced by several facets: Belfast during the troubles, where he spent his childhood and teenage years, his fondness for horror movies and the transformation a person undergoes, not only through gradual aging but also from physical and mental suffering, to become their true self.
There seems to be no doubt that King’s bursting personage passed through his inner filter, presenting his mood and self-perception, focusing on human portrayal as a timeless instrument for storytelling.
Image: Warren King, Self Portrait in Black , 2021, acrylic on canvas, H600 mm x W750 mm.
Courtesy and ©Warren King and Renée Pfister Art & Gallery Consultancy, 2021.
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