Human Nature by Ella Hore

My expressionism-style oil painting captures my face up close in a shocking and daunting self-portrait style. The work utilises research into expressionist Edvard Munch and his similar approach with technique and exaggerated emotion. I used long brush strokes, bold colours and thick oil paint to convey a 3D texture and explicitly portray the expressionist movement that inspired my work. Whilst the viewer can engage with the hands and surrounding features of the work, the focus is drawn to the vivid eyes that capture the audience’s attention. My particular interest in contemporary issues surrounding our climate crisis and conservation of nature in Brisbane influenced my choices in deciding the deeper meaning of the work. Bright green in the eyes intends to reflect a natural landscape that the subject is looking at and responding to, evoking a sense of curiosity from the viewer and provoking the question: what do we see when we look at the nature of our city?