Oil on canvas
2024

This self-portrait captures a fleeting moment, just before teeth sink into the flesh of an apple. My eyes, however, are drawn away, distracted by something beyond the frame, and my expression betrays a subtle discomfort, as though caught in a moment of hesitation.

To me, eating is tied to feelings of comfort—food nourishes, and the act of eating is often communal. Yet, eating alone can feel unusual, even unsociable, and being observed during such a private act can carry an unexpected sense of exposure, almost taboo.

In this painting, I have rendered myself in raw, unapologetic colours, with bold strokes of vibrant red and piercing white highlights that stand against desaturated blues. My clothing, painted in flat black, anchors the lower left of the composition, a sharp contrast to the thick, textured brushstrokes of the cool-toned background. These strokes create an uncertain, almost intangible space, heightening the tension between figure and environment. In the lower right, set into the shadowed corner, a silhouetted figure can be seen in profile, their eyes level with the apple.

The apple itself forms the heart of the piece. Painted in hues of green and yellow, it creates a vivid contrast with the reds of the fingers gripping it, a tension between the act of holding and the impending bite. The apple becomes a symbol of temptation and distraction, its presence both grounding and unsettling within the scene.