I was inspired by the style of Irish-born figurative painter, Francis Bacon, who painted in the early 20th century. Bacon is known for his unsettling imagery. My piece was inspired by Bacon’s “Study After Veláquez’s Portrait of Pope Innocent X,” which features his classic distorted self-portraits.
In the planning of my piece, I was aiming to mimic Bacon’s supernatural effect. Hence, the frequent blurring of lines and the addition of eerie glowing parts—similar to the electrocuted parts in Bacon’s aforementioned “Study.”
I have been thinking about sin—specifically gambling, which is shown through the multiple floating gambling chips, cards, and dice throughout the work. The blindfold shows how the girl has been “blinded” by greed, and the blue skull represents the girl’s greed. She has been distorted by her indulgence in sinful behavior, so the viewer cannot see her features clearly either.
I hope that this work can impact viewers and serve as a reminder that the sin of greed blinds and distorts our vision of perception.