Chronological Self

The Hindu concept of the human self is composed of multiform identities not strapped down to one persona. Jung also wrote about and explored the idea that we hold within us many 'archetypes' which transcend individual personalities. It is from this Hindu/Jungian sense that most of my self portraiture originates.

I have a fundamental need to record myself at certain times, in fact it has become a necessity. This is not something that all artists do, but an artistic tradition has built up around self-portraiture over the centuries. I don't know if it's accidental that Durer, Rembrandt and Van Gogh are from Northern Europe and I'm from Scotland, perhaps the cold harshness brings out solitariness and morbidity. Self portraiture is definitely a conversation with death.