Facets is a series of three acrylic paintings exploring the human face through geometric abstraction and reduction. The works take their name from the idea of a facet: a distinct plane that contributes to the structure of a larger form. This becomes a way of considering the face not as a collection of individual features, but as an arrangement of shapes, planes and relationships that can be broken down and reconstructed.

The paintings are constructed through distinct, overlapping areas of acrylic, with changes in colour, tone and shape creating the impression of depth across an otherwise flattened surface. Facial features emerge from the relationship among these planes rather than from conventional modelling, giving the works a graphic, almost sculptural quality. The restrained palette and sharp edges reinforce this sense of structure, while allowing the compositions to sit between portraiture and abstraction.

WORKS

( In Order Shown )

Facet I, Acrylic on canvas, 50 × 70 cm, 2025. Available

Facet II, Acrylic on canvas, 50 × 70 cm, 2025. Not for Sale

Facet III, Acrylic on canvas, 80 × 80 cm, 2025. Not for Sale

The series draws particular influence from the abstraction and stylisation found in traditional African mask traditions, where the human form is often reduced and transformed rather than rendered with anatomical realism. This approach was important to the development of the work, particularly in its emphasis on essence over exact representation. By simplifying the face into bold, angular forms, the paintings consider how representation can move beyond physical accuracy to communicate something more fundamental about a subject.