Portrait of a Prostitute 2012

Joe Machine made this 'Portrait of a Prostitute' with paint, and with feeling. There is something urgent in the handling of the paint. See how the black background seems almost like a void out of which the figure has risen. Look at how the light falls on the skin, it is built up of thin layers, and the marks are almost scrubbed into the surface. I keep thinking about the way the paint creates a tangible sense of presence, the stockings especially, how the texture of the paint creates the illusion of fabric. It's as if he's trying to trap the figure in the painting, like a memory you just can't shake. I'm reminded of Lucian Freud's unflinching portraits, but with a punk rock edge. Ultimately, Machine's painting is a reminder that art doesn't need to be pretty to be powerful, it just needs to be honest.