Adoration

On my hard disk I’ve got a directory containing a few videos to energise me. One is Michael Jackson’s last song at a concert in Bucharest in 1992 where the crowd are going a bit potty. The link is here…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAArVHcdLno&feature=related

The cameras focus on the crowd who are crying, waving and even fainting. As a typical Englishman who holds emotions in check and cringes at strong public displays of emotion, it intrigues me to see people’s emotions overflowing. If you watch this footage you’ll some finding the final song a bit too much for some.

For a moment the camera lands on a woman (about the 7th minute) who I’ve painted. I’m not sure why, I just like studying body language and this was a good example of it. No matter where you go in the world its funny how people clutch their mouth as if to stop emotions flooding out.  I don’t know how anyone can feel such heightened adoration but I suppose when you’re an ardent fan, have waited months for the concert and you’re amongst thousands of other disciples watching your god do a final song, your pan of milk might boil over.

I paused the footage at the woman, printed the screen and just painted her. I was going to spend ages getting the face just right then thought no-one knows her so why bother trying to catch her likeness. I ended up just playing with lots of colours and painting a face loosely based on the woman’s. As you can see I like using lots of different colours.