Do I Really Need It? by Daisy Allan

I moved to Brisbane in 2019 and have lived here for all of my teenage life. Brisbane has shaped who I am today. The vibrant city culture is very different from my birthplace in the small-town, cold, and grey Central Victoria.

My self-portrait, ‘Do I really need it?,’ questions whether teenagers need to wear makeup and the effect it has on self-esteem. I often ponder if I truly need it or if I’m just concealing my insecurities behind layers of mascara. It discusses the need I feel to wear makeup and how I can feel empty or incomplete without it.

Inspired by the subtropical climate of Brisbane city, the piece uses a tropical Art Deco colour scheme and Impressionist painting techniques to create form and visual interest.