Copy/Past (Study)

This study ended up helping produce a theme of adding tattoos to many paintings and pushed this idea into a large part of my new work.

A simple nude study becomes something more, the Banksy tattoo on her ankle, also referencing 'copy' and 'past' tattooed on her fingers adds depth to the image. The body becomes another canvas to paint on within the image.

Thoughts turn to the way we recycle images and popularise them, especially with the ever faster uses of technology. From the beginnings of pop art to the recent mass circulation of the Abu Ghraib photos, this mass circulation of images can help us reflect more deeply as a society. As we copy and paste we copy the past making it more accessible to all with the introduction of the internet.

Painted Jan 2011/July 2011