Louis, aged 17
Oil pastel on paper
Inspired by Rachel Jones’s exploration of character andform, I made this impressionist self-portrait using oil pastel. I wanted to create an art piece that explored myself, my mind and the familiar beings and objects that make me who I am, by materialising them into
visible forms and patterns using a select colour scheme.
I used the texture and bold colours of the pastels to produce evocative and curated colours, inspired by the way Vincent van Gogh uses streaks of paint to build up an overall colour and vibe in his self-portrait. My piece explores the issues that we face when the line blurs between who we are and who we are told we are. This can lead to a disconnection to ourselves and an uncertainty about who we really are beyond the character we play in society.