solly solomon
My work primarily explores themes of self and identity, creating reflections of an inner world. Painting for me is a way to explore and engage with difficult emotions and life experiences. It’s a way of processing feelings that often seem difficult to define, to make sense of and ultimately to navigate. My work is about my life, it is intrinsically linked to my inner emotional landscape, allowing me to express emotions that would otherwise feel intangible.
I create figurative paintings with echoes of my grounding in watercolour, contrasting realism with watery abstraction. The models are often depicted wearing a mask of heavy make-up and Elizabethan style ruffs, something that has been in part inspired by my background in theatre, and in no small part inspired by watching Peter Greenaway’s Prospero’s Books during my Art Foundation Course. Yet behind each piece lies a hidden story, emotion or memory transfixed in time.
You have no idea of the gift you once gave me - by Solly Solomon
It's naive to think you can ever get rid of shame completely - by Solly Solomon
They never actually touched me - by Solly Solomon
I've never wished you were my daughter - by Solly Solomon