Ornament + Body series

Ornament and Figure Series The Ornament and Figure series originated when a friend requested a tattoo design, prompting the artist to create a depiction of a flayed human arm. This sparked further exploration into large-scale figurative drawing, inspired by Renaissance frescoes that adorn historical architecture. Each monumental figure is intricately "tattooed" with ornamental motifs akin to the initial flayed arm design. Transforming bodily tattoos into pictorial forms, the works merge distinct narratives from foreground and background, resulting in a compelling third terrain. Boldly sensual, the figures engage directly with the viewer, their exposed forms neither purely drawing, painting, nor print. Instead, they present an innovative reversal of traditional materials—white gesso layered upon ink, tensioned across raw Belgian linen, mirroring the original motif of the flayed arm. Ornament and Figure recontextualizes traditional techniques, alluding to the classical role of cartoons in fresco-making, where images were painted onto wet plaster to precisely unify elements of a Baroque composition. These pieces stage an evocative interplay between figure and ornament, creating a dynamic fusion of historical technique and contemporary sensibility.