The Mask Discarded - (Robert and the Head of the Patriarchy) Oil on board, 57.5cm x 57.5cm

A portrait of the remarkable Robert Panico, a trans man, situated within a landscape inspired by Nicolas Poussin’s Landscape with a Man Killed by a Snake (National Gallery, London).

Rooted in a fascination with art history and antiquity, the imagery for this piece emerged incrementally. The final composition summons archetypes from ancient Greek theatre, echoing Renaissance and Baroque depiction of mythologies.

The painting's emotional core was forged during a long walk along the Southbank, where Robert and I spoke candidly about our parallel journeys as queer men. We discussed the protective masks constructed during youth—facades designed to shield both ourselves from hostility and our loved ones from disappointment.

This work captures the transition from concealment to radical vulnerability. It explores the gradual process of unveiling our truths, culminating in the profound challenge of facing oneself without distortion. While the path for queer individuals is rarely as brightly lit or uncomplicated as it is for others, this painting celebrates the hard-won ownership of one's authentic life.