Poppy by Alissa Lamb

Alissa Lamb’s carefully constructed and symbolic portrait offers an insight into the sitter, her daughter, Poppy.

The vividness of the red background, the bright colours of the dress and the extravagance of the unusual headpiece give this portrait enormous energy, as these elements contrast with the stillness of the gaze.

“Traditional portraiture is so often used to broadcast a definitive, highly specific representation of the subject. The pose, attire and background all work as one to achieve one visual message.

“But humans – especially autistic girls – are multi-faceted. I wanted to portray the dichotomy that is my daughter – using a classical approach, with subtle twists. By contrasting Poppy’s rigid pose with her extravagant outfit, I tried to capture this contrast.”

The square canvas also upsets the usual rectangular format associated with portraiture. The boldness of the painting draws us into the young girl’s spirited and lively world.

“It’s a visual reflection of her inner world of rules and uncertainty, masked by an outer layer of enchantment and enthusiasm for the world around her.”