Bending Over Backwards

Bending Over Backwards is a response to the current state of love in our generation, where it often feels like a taboo. Love is spoken of with so much caution, despite its dominating quality.

I wanted to explore the transformative power of love through the nearly naked figure at the center of the work. The figure not only conveys a layer of vulnerability but also reflects how we are shaped by our surroundings, his skin capturing a spectrum of colours absent from the background and unseen by the viewer. His toned, muscular build represents strength in the act of understanding. I aimed to paint the figure with tenderness, capturing the intensity of his focused, concentrated gaze.

The circular canvas echoes the cyclical nature of love, the patterns of intimacy, rupture, and renewal. Inspired by the book All About Love by bell hooks, which provided a framework for understanding love as care, trust, and commitment, ideals that feel endangered in contemporary culture.