This is my new painting for the CAP 2020 which has been chosen as one of 40 finalists from over 330 entries - and which I only just finished on deadline. Their theme is again "Identity". In 2018 I was honoured to be included as one of their 40 finalists out of 500 national entries so I touch wood because the quality of the finalists was so high that year too.

It was a difficult painting for me for many reasons.  This year I was focused on a personal theme of how losing my father in 2018 has revealed/altered my sense of identity. Let's just say I'm.glad painting is a private process. It's painted in acrylic, with only the Furies silhouette base-painted with aerosol and stencil, then hand painted over that. The background took as long as the foreground and is, for me, even more important than the figures in a way. I am affected and inspired by the cultural faiths, histories, patterns, symbols and mythologies of so many cultures, and often talk about the "mixed up' quality of my life and my paintings. Looking forward to meeting all the other Artists in late February at the opening.

Title: A Many Splendored Thing
Artist: Carl Gopalkrishnan (aka Gopal)
Medium: Acrylic paint and aerosol on stretched canvas (172 x 76cm)

Artist Statement 

Fathers and sons have complicated relationships. When my father died two years ago it was a shock to discover that my identity was so tied up in performing for others. All my multiple identities required me to wear masks as I was adopted- or co-opted- into supporting their identities. I lost myself. A bi-racial dual citizen of many cultures, I’ve discovered that being ‘mixed up’ can be a strength when the performance of my identities fall apart. Here The Furies, from Greek tragedy, and symbols from my faith and cultures express my journey of rebuilding my identity after a loss.

Collie Art Prize 2018 on Vimeo.