Three studies of George Dyer 1966

Francis Bacon made this painting, Three Studies of George Dyer, and what strikes me is how he’s using oil paint to almost undo the face. Look at the way he smears and twists the features, especially around the mouth and eyes; it’s like he’s not just painting a portrait but also revealing the raw, vulnerable layers beneath the surface. The colours are fleshy, but there are these stark whites and blues that cut through, creating a sense of unease. It’s not about getting a likeness but about capturing a feeling, a psychological state. That central panel, where the face is almost unraveling, reminds me of those moments when you feel like you’re losing control, when your identity feels fragile. Bacon reminds me a bit of Picasso, in the way he's unafraid to distort and break down form to get at something deeper. And it's that willingness to embrace the messy, the unresolved, that makes his work so powerful.