“This piece forms a part of ‘the dance of hide and seek” collection, although I chose not to show it at my open studios. When I came up with the theme, I knew there would be a piece that would speak directly to vulnerability, the expression of the heart, and nudity. The painting came together as a puzzle. As we visited artists’ studios in Berlin, I came across a messy desk covered in photos of cut-out naked bodies. I asked the artist if she minded me using them as inspiration for a piece of work and took a photo of the collage of bodies. This was the starting point for the painting and takes up most of the space. I then decided to incorporate an image of someone holding a balloon – representing our hopes and dreams – and came across an image of a young girl holding a balloon – which you see in the painting. The colors and styles are jarring – as they occupy different worlds – the physical and the imagined. The final additions were the two cartoon characters – the devil wanting to burn her hopes and dreams and the piglet who is aroused by her presence. It speaks to my playful and provocative style and is one of my favorite pieces from that collection. Once I’d decided the piece was finished, I named it and wrote a short poem to accompany it…”
my worst fear…
there’s nowhere to hide
will you like me?
it’s not for me to decide.
