The Red Shorts Collection started as a way for me to bring together two things I've always loved - the beauty and stillness of classical painting and the playfulness of pin-up art. I wanted to see what would happen if I let those two worlds overlap, if I could take something traditional and give it a more personal, contemporary twist.
They’re all paintings of me, but I’ve never really thought of them as straightforward self-portraits. They feel more like versions of me — imagined, performed, or seen through someone else’s eyes. At the time, I think I was exploring how I wanted to be seen. But as the years have gone by, I’ve realized they’re more about how others see me, and how that version starts to live its own life.
The red shorts became this kind of anchor and imposed uniform on my life — simple, bold, and a little bit nostalgic. They tie everything together, but they also became a symbol of exposure and performance. There’s something about them that feels playful, but also vulnerable.
When I look at these paintings now, I see more than just an image of myself. I see how identity shifts depending on who’s looking, and how we all play a part in shaping the versions of ourselves that exist in other people’s minds.
